Japanese Kanji Study

By Daniel Glenfield and Masashi Ogino

http://www.dglenfield.co.uk

http://massyoggy.spaces.live.com/

Revision 1.0

Introduction

The same kanji can be read differently depending on whether it is alone, combined, or depending on the proceeding kanji.

Important: As a general rule, when a kanji character is by itself we use Kun-Yomi (Japanese) but when it is with other kanji we use On-Yomi

(Chinese). We have put the Chinese meaning first (in Katakana), with the Japanese reading underneath (in Hiragana) e.g. 人 is nin / jin

(Chinese) then hito (Japanese) underneath.

With numbers, the counting system is underneath.

KANJI READING

On-yomi / Kun-yomi

MEANING REMINDER HINT EXAMPLES

一 イチ ichi

ひとつ hitotsu

one, first 一番 ichi ban – number one, the best

世界一 sekai ichi - the best in the world

二 ニ ni

ふたつ futatsu

two, second 第二 dai ni – the second

三 サン san

みっつ mittsu

three, third 三つ mittsu – third

四 シ shi

よん yon

よっつ yottsu

four, fourth 四つ yottsu - fourth

五 ゴ go

いつつ itsutsu

five, fifth 五つ itsutsu - fifth

六 ロク roku

むっつ muttsu

six, sixth 六つ muttsu - sixth

七 シチ shichi

なな nana

ななつ nanatsu

seven, seventh 七つ nanatsu - seventh

八 ハチ hachi

やっつ yattsu

eight, eighth 八つ yattsu - eighth

九 ク ku

キュウ kyuu

ここのつ kokonotsu

nine, ninth 九つ kokonotsu - nineth

十 ジュウ jyuu

とお too

ten 十 too - tenth

百 ヒャク hyaku

もも momo

hundred

千 セン sen

ち chi

thousand

万 マン man

バン ban

よろず yorozu

ten thousand

父 フ fu

ホ ho

トウ tou

ちち chichi

father お父さん otousan – a father

父の日 chichi no hi – Father’s day

母 ボ bo

モ mo

カア kaa

はは haha

mother お母さん okaasan – a mother

母の日 haha no hi – Mother’s day

保母 ho bo – kindergarden teacher, or a

nurse

友 ユウ yuu

とも tomo

friend 友達 tomodachi – friend(s)

友情 yuujou - friendship

女 ジョ jo

ジョ/ ニョ(zyo / nyo)

おんな onna

woman, female looks like a woman /

ironing board 彼女 kanojo – her, or girlfriend

女の子 onna no ko – a girl

女優 joyuu – an actress

男 ダン dan

ナン nan

おとこ otoko

man, men, male rice field + power =

must be strong to work

in a rice field (a man).

男女 danjo – men and women

男らしい otokorashii – manly, like a man

人 ジン jin

ニン nin

ひと hito

person, people 三人 san nin – three people

七人 shichi jin – seven people

女の人 onna no hito - woman

子 シ shi

ス su

こ ko

child, children, the

young

looks like a child. 子猫 ko neko – kitten (child cat)

女子学生 jo shi gakusei... female student

子供 kodomo – child, children

お菓子 okashi - cake

日 ニチ nichi

ジツ jitsu

ひ hi

び bi

か ka

the sun, day ある日 aru hi – one day

毎日 mai nichi – every day

三日 mikka – 3rd

day (of the month)

明日 ashita – tomorrow

月 ガツ gatsu

ゲツ getsu

the moon, month 今月 kon getsu – this month

月 tsuki – the moon

つき tsuki 一月 ichi gatsu – January (first month)

火 カ ka

ひ hi

fire, light looks like flames. 火事 kaji – a fire

花火 hana bi – fireworks

火花 hi bana – sparks

火山 ka zan – fire mountain

火曜日 ka youbi - Tuesday

水 スイ sui

みず mizu

water looks like a river

converging (water). 大水 oo mizu – flood (big water)

水着 mizu gi – swimsuit

水田 suiden – rice field

木 モク moku

ボク boku

き ki

こ ko

tree, wood a tree. 木上り ki nobori – tree climbing

松の木 matsu no ki – pine tree

木曜日 moku youbi – Thursday

木村さん kimura-san – Mr. Kimura

金 キン kin

コン kon

かね (o-)kane

かな kana

gold, money digging under a hill for

gold. 賞金 shoukin – prize money

金曜日 kin youbi – Friday

金田 kaneda-san – Mr. Kaneda

土 ド do

ト to

つち tsuchi

earth, ground, soil a grounded mast. 土曜日 do youbi – Saturday

粘土 nen do – clay

土地 to chi – ground area, soil

土木 doboku – civil engineering

本 ホン hon

もと moto

book,

origin, root,

tree with a root. 日本 nihon – Japan

本 hon – a book

counter for long

slender objects

休 キュウ kyuu

やす(む) yasu(mu)

rest, vacation a man resting by a tree. 夏休み natsu yasumi – Summer vacation

昼休み hiru yasumi – lunch break

お休みなさい oyasuminasai – “Good

night”

語 ゴ go

かた(り) kata(ri)

かた(る) kata(ru)

word, speech,

language, narration,

to tell, to speak

日本語 nihongo – Japanese

物語 mono gatari – a story, tale, legend

年 ネン nen

とし toshi

year 一年 ichi nen – one year

二年前 ni nen mae – two years ago

去年 kyo nen – last year

午 ゴ go

うま uma

noon 午前 gozen – morning

午後 gogo – afternoon

午後二時 gogo ni ji – 2 o’clock in the

afternoon

前 ゼン zen

まえ mae

before, in front of,

previous

名前 namae – name

前書き mae gaki – preface (before the

writing)

後 ゴ go

コウ kou

のち nochi

うしろ ushiro

behind, after 最後 sai go – the last, the end, the

conclusion

後ろ ushiro – behind

時 ジ ji

とき toki

time 時間 jikan – time

時々 toki doki – sometimes

何時ですか nan ji desu ka – what time is

it?

間 カン kan

ケン ken

あいだ aida

ま ma

interval, between,

space,

room,

time

the sun is between the

gates. 居間 ima – living room

時間 jikan – time

昼間 hiru ma - daytime

毎 まい mai

ばい bai

ごとに gotoni

each, every 毎日 mai nichi – every day

毎朝 mai asa – every morning

毎週 mai shuu – every week

先 セン sen

さき saki

previous, ahead 先生 sen sei – teacher (previous life)

先日 sen jitsu – the other day

お先に どうぞ o-sakini douzo – please

go first

今 コン kon

キン kin

いま ima

now, the present 今月 kon getsu – this month

今晩は konbanwa – good evening

今度 kon do – next time

何 カ ka

なん nan

なに nani

what, how many 何人 ですか nan nin desu ka – how

many people?

何時ですか nan ji desu ka – what time is

it?

上 ジョウ jou

カミ kami

うえ ue

うわ uwa

top, above, on the stem is above the

ground. 上手 jouzu – good at

上る noboru – to go up

上げる ageru – to rise

つくえの 上 tsukue no ue – on the table

のぼ(る) nobo(ru)

あ(がる) a(garu)

あ(げる) a(geru)

年上 toshi ue – older, old (years)

下 カ ka

ゲ ge

した shita

しも shimo

もと moto

くだ(る) kuda(ru)

さ(がる) sa(garu)

さ(げる) sa(geru)

bottom, beneath,

down

the stem is below the

ground. くつ 下 kutsu shita – socks [lit. shoes

under]

下る kudaru – to go down

下車 する gesha suru – to get off

下さい kudasai – please (give, do)

左 サ sa

ひだり hidari

left looks like an ‘H’ on its

side – ‘H’idari means

left

左手 hidari te – left hand

左足 hidari ashi – left leg

机の左 tsukue no hidari – to the left of the

desk

右 ウ u

ユウ yuu

みぎ migi

right second symbol looks

like katakana ‘ro’.

‘right’ also starts with

‘r’.

右目 migi me – right eye

右ページ migi pe-ji – right page (of

book)

東 トウ tou

ツウ tsuu

ひがし higashi

east the sun is behind the

tree rising in the East. 中東 chuutou – the Middle East

東京 toukyou - Tokyo

西 セイ sei

サイ sai

にし nishi

west 西口 nishi guchi – west entrance

西ドイツ nishi Doitsu – West Germany

大西洋 tai sei you – the Atlantic

南 ナン nan

みなみ minami

south 南米 nan bei – South America

南極 nan kyoku – the South Pole

北 ホク hoku

ボク boku

きた kita

north 北アメリカ kita amerika – North

America

南北戦争 nan boku sen sou – US civil

war (North South)

外 ガイ gai

ゲ ge

そと soto

ほか hoka

outside, foreign 外国人 gaikoku jin – foreigner

外人 gaijin - foreigner

外国語 gaikoku go – foreign language

外で遊ぶ soto de asobu – to play outside

名 メイ mei

な na

name, fame, famous 有名な yuumei(na) – famous

名前 namae – name

平仮名 hiragana – hiragana

高 コウ kou

たか(い) taka(i)

high, tall,

costly

looks like a tall

building 最高 sai kou – the highest, the best

高校生 koukou sei – high school student

高いビル takai biru – tall building

小 ショウ shou

ちい(さい) chii(sai)

small, little 小学校 shou gakkou – elementary school

小さい家 chiisai ie – a small house

小説 shou setsu – a novel, a story (fiction)

中 チュウ chuu

なか naka

inside, middle,

centre, within

a line goes through the

middle of this kanji 一日中 ichi nichi juu – all day long

家の中 ie no naka – inside the house

勉強中 benkyou chuu – in the middle of

studying

大 タイ tai / ダイ dai

おお(きい) oo(kii)

big, large, great 大学 dai gaku – university, college (big

school)

大きい心 ookii kokoro – big heart

大会 tai kai – big convention or rally

大きな家 ooki na ie – Big house

半 ハン han

なかば nakaba

half a sword cutting

horizontal sticks in

half.

半月 han tsuki – half a month

半月 han getsu – half moon

半島 han tou – peninsula (half island)

分 ブン bun / フン fun /

プン pun

わ(ける) wa(keru)

わ(かる) wa(karu)

units, minutes, a part,

to divide,

to understand

半分 hanbun – half

部分 bubun – a part

気分 kibun – feeling, mood

気分がよいです kibun ga yoi desu – I

am feeling good

分かりました wakarimashita – I

understand

学 ガク gaku / カク kaku

まな(ぶ) mana(bu)

learning, science, to

learn

科学 ka gaku – science

中学校 chuu gakkou – middle school

数学 suu gaku - math

校 コウ kou school 学校 gakkou – school

高校 koukou – senior high school

校内 kou nai – within the school grounds

生 セイ sei

ショウ shou

い(きる) i(kiru)

う(まれる) u(mareru)

birth, life, to give

birth, to live

学生 gaku sei – a student

一生 isshou – all life, a lifetime

人生 jin sei – (human) life

先生 sen sei – teacher, master, doctor

電 デン den / テン ten

いなずま inazuma

electric, electricity 電気 denki – electricity

電池 denchi – battery

電車 densha – train (electric car)

電話 denwa - telephone

気 キ ki

ケ ke

いき iki

spirit, intention,

mind,

power, energy

空気 kuu ki – air, atmosphere

元気 genki – healthy, full of spirit

人気 nin ki - popularity

車 シャ sha

くるま kuruma

car, vehicle 自転車 jitensha – bicycle

自動車 jidousha - car

救急車 kyuukyuusha – ambulance

電車 densha - train

国 コク koku

くに kuni

country, a nation 韓国 kan koku – Korea

外国 gai koku – foreign country

中国 chuu goku - China

円 エン en

まる(い) maru(i)

yen, a circle 千円 sen en – 1000 yen

円高 en daka – a high yen rate

円を書く en o kaku – to draw a circle

山 サン san / ザン zan

やま yama

mountain 火山 ka zan – a volcano (fire mountain)

富士山 Fujisan – Mt. Fuji

ごみの山 gomi no yama – a mountain of

garbage

山下さん yamashita-san – Mr. Yamashita

川 セン sen

かわ kawa

river, stream 川田さん kawada-san – Mr. Kawada

白 ハク haku

しろ(い) shiro(i)

white 白鳥 hakuchou – Swan (white bird)

白い shiroi – white

白蟻 shiro ari – termite (white ant)

天 テン ten

あま ama

あめ ame

heaven, the sky 天井 tenjou – ceiling

天気 tenki – weather

天国 ten goku – heaven, paradise

天才 ten sai – genius

明日の ことを 言えば 天井で ね

ずみが 笑う asu no koto o ieba tenjou

de nezumi ga warau – If you talk about

tomorrow the mouse in the ceiling laughs

(proverb)

雨 ウ u

あめ ame

あま ama

rain 雨水 ama mizu – rain water

大雨 oo ame – heavy rain

小雨 ko same – light rain

書 ショ sho

か(く) ka(ku)

book, document 書く kaku – to write

青く書く aoku kaku – to write in blue

図書館 toshoukan – library

聖書 seisho – bible (holy book)

辞書 jisho - dictionary

見 ケン ken

み(る) mi(ru)

み(える) mi(eru)

to see, to show 見る miru – to see

花見 hana mi – flower viewing

見える mieru – to be able to see, visible

意見 iken - opinion

行 コウ kou

ギョウ gyou

to go 行きましょう ikimashou – let’s go

銀行 ginkou – bank

い(く) i(ku) /

ゆ(く) yu(ku)

旅行 ryokou – a trip, travel

出 シュツ shutsu

だ(す) da(su), で(る)

de(ru)

to go out, leave 出口 de guchi – exit

思い出す omoi dasu – to remember, to

recollect

出来る dekiru – be able to do

出かける dekakeru – goes, comes out

入 ニュウ nyuu

はい(る) hai(ru)

い(る) i(ru) /

い(れる) i(reru)

enter, to go in, to

insert

中入り naka iri – intermission (of a play)

入り口 iri guchi – entrance

手に入れる te ni ireru – to obtain, to get

one’s hands on

入院 nyuuin - hospitalisation

話 ワ wa

はなし hanashi

はな(す) hana(su)

a talk, topic, a story 英会話 ei kai wa – English conversation

(class)

昔話 mukashi banashi – an old tale,

legend

手話 shu wa – sign language (hand talk)

聞 ブン bun

モン mon

き(く) ki(ku)

き(こえる) ki(koeru)

to hear, listen, ask the ear is between the

gate and you use your

ear to listen.

新聞 shinbun – newspaper

聞いてください kiite kudasai – please

listen

食 ジキ jiki

ショク shoku

く(う) ku(u)

た(べる) ta(beru)

eating, a meal, food 食べ物 tabemono – food

食べる taberu – to eat

食べたい tabetai – I want to eat

食事 shokuji – a meal

読 ドク doku

よ(む) yo(mu)

to read 読みやすい yomi yasui – easy to read

読書 dokusho – reading (read

book/document)

読んでください yonde kudasai – please

read

来 ライ rai

く(る) ku(ru) /

きた(る) kita(ru)

to come 未来 mi rai – the future (not yet come)

来週 rai shuu – next week

来月 rai getsu – next month

出来る dekiru – to be able to do

田 デン den

た ta / だ da

rice field looks like a rice field,

in four parts. 田中さん tanaka-san – Mr. Tanaka

山田さん yamada-san – Mr. Yamada

水田 suiden – rice field

田舎 inaka – countryside, rural area,

hometown

門 モン mon a gate looks like a gate. 門 mon – a gate

専門 senmon – speciality

口 コウ kou

くち kuchi /

ぐち guchi

a mouth,

an exit, an entrance

looks like a mouth. 人口 jinkou – population

出口 de guchi – exit

入り口 iri guchi – entrance

私 シ shi

わたし watashi /

わたくし watakushi

private 私立大学 shiritsu daigaku – private

university

仮面ライダーは 私です ka men raida-

wa watashi desu – I am the Masked Rider.

力 リョク ryoku

リキ riki

power 水力 sui ryoku – water power

火力 ka ryoku – fire power

ちから chikara 力学 riki gaku – dynamics

協力 kyouryoku - cooperation

夢の力 yume no chikara – The power of

dreams.

何 なに nani /

なん nan

what ? 何人 nan nin – how many people?

何ですか nan desu ka – what is it?

体 タイ tai

からだ karada

body,

object

a man’s origin is his

body. 体力 tai ryoku – physical strength

体育 tai iku – physical education (P.E.)

体 karada – a body

肉体疲労 niku tai hi rou – be exhausted

(body)

体育館 tai iku kan – a gym

後で体育館の 後ろで会いましょう

ato de taiikukan no ushiro de aimashou –

Later, let’s meet behind the gym.

頭の体操 atama no tai sou – exercising

the mind

好 コウ kou

す(き) su(ki)

love, like, favourite a mother loves a child. 魚は好きです sakana wa suki desu – I

like fish

好物 koubutsu – one’s favourite food

林 リン rin

はやし hayashi

wood, grove two trees make a wood 林業 ringyou – forestry

林 hayashi – a wood

小林さん kobayashi-san – Mr. Kobayashi

森 シン shin

もり mori

forest, jungle three trees make a

forest 森田さん morita-san – Mr. Morita

森林 shinrin – Woods and forests

畑 はたけ hatake

はた hata

cultivated field fire + rice field = burnt

(cultivated) field. 畑 hatake – a cultivated field

田畑 ta hata – fields of rice and crops

花畑 hana batake – a flower garden

岩 ガン gan

いわ iwa

rock a stone by a mountain

is a rock. 岩田さん iwata-san – Mr. Iwata

岩石 ganseki – rocks and stones

火山岩 ka zan gan – volcanic rock

目 モク moku

め me

eye,

item

looks like an eye

(vertically). 目上 me ue – one’s superiors

目下 me shita – one’s inferiors

目 me – an eye

目次 moku ji – table of contents

目的 moku teki – a purpose

耳 ジ ji

みみ mimi

ear could be an ear (use

your imagination). はつ 耳です hatsu mimi desu – “That’s

the first time I’ve heard of that”

手 シュ shu

て te

hand looks like a hand 歌手 ka shu – a singer

上手な jouzu-na – skillful, good at

下手な heta-na – unskilled, not good at

手紙 tegami – letter

切手 kitte – stamp

助手 joshu – an assistant (lit. help hand)

足 ソク soku

あし ashi

た(りる) ta(riru)

leg, pair,

suffice

looks like a man with a

very long leg. 足りる tariru – to be enough

足す tasu – to add

二足 ni soku – two pairs

不足 fu soku – a shortage

竹 チク chiku

たけ take

bamboo two bamboo sticks. 竹田さん Takeda-san – Mr. Takeda

竹の子 take no ko – a bamboo shoot

米 マイ mai

ベイ bei

ごめ gome

rice,

America

米国 bei koku – America

北米 hoku bei – North America

南米 nan bei – South America

中米 chuu bei – Central America

貝 かい kai shellfish looks like a crustacean

(big shell, little legs). 貝殻 kaigara – a shell

真珠貝 shinjugai – pearl oyster

石 セキ seki

いし ishi

stone a stone (square) is in

the picture. 石川さん Ishikawa-san – Mr. Ishikawa

石や seki-ya – petroleum

化石 ka seki – a fossil

花 カ ka

はな hana

flower 花 hana - a flower

花火 hanabi - fireworks

花びん kabin - a vase

茶 チャ cha

サ sa

tea 茶 cha - tea

日本茶 Nihon cha - green tea

紅茶 koucha - black tea

喫茶店 kissaten - a coffee shop

茶色 chairo – brown (tea colour)

肉 ニク niku flesh, meat hangars at an abattoir

for meat. 鳥肉 tori niku - Chicken

牛肉 gyuu niku – Beef

魚肉 gyo niku – fish meat

肉体 niku tai – Body

文 ブン bun

モン mon

ふみ fumi

pattern,

letter, sentence,

literature

a man crossing his legs

reading a book

(containing a sentence)

文 bun - a sentence

文学 bun gaku – literature

文字 moji – letter or character

文化 bunka - culture

文部科学省 mon bu ka gaku shou -

Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports,

Science, and Technology

この文章の 構造が どうなっている

か 分かりますか kono bun shou no

kou zou ga dou natte iru ka wakarimasu

ka – Do you understand the structure of

this sentence?

字 ジ ji letter, character letters are associated

with learning, and this

looks like gaku.

字 ji - a letter or character

文字 mo ji / mon ji - a letter

漢字 kanji - kanji

数字 suuji - a number

物 ブツ butsu

モツ motsu

もの mono

a thing, matter, object

(non-human)

買い物 kaimono – shopping

品物 shinamono - goods

生物 sei butsu – a living creature

荷物 ni motsu – baggage

物語 mono gatari – a story, tale, legend

飲み物 nomimono – a drink

好物 kou butsu – favourite

動物 dou butsu – animal

果物の 中で 何が 一番好きですか

kudamono no naka de nani ga ichiban suki

desu ka – Among all fruit which do you

like best?

牛 ギュウ gyuu

うし ushi

cattle, cow, bull, ox a bull with one horn. 子牛 ko ushi – a calf (child cattle)

牛乳 gyuu nyuu – cow’s milk

馬 バ ba

うま uma

horse a galloping horse. 馬車 ba sha – a carriage

馬力 ba riki – horsepower

馬肉 ba niku – horse meat

鳥 チョウ chou

とり tori

bird the kanji for white 白

(shiro(i)) is included

making this a white

bird.

焼き鳥 yaki tori – roast chicken

白鳥 haku chou – a swan

野鳥 ya chou – wild bird

南から鳥が飛んできました minami

kara tori ga tonde kimashita – The birds

came from the south.

一石 二鳥 isseki nichou – two

birds with one stone

魚 ギョ go

さかな sakana

fish a fish is caught by a

hook 魚や sakana-ya – fish shop

焼き魚 ya ki zakana – grilled fish

金魚 kingyo – goldfish

羊 ひつじ hitsuji sheep

猿 さる saru monkey

猫 ねこ neko cat

the rice field looks like

a mat. The cat sat on

the mat!

猫の子 neko no ko – kitten

犬 ケイ kei

いぬ inu

dog 子犬を飼った ko inu o katta – I got a

puppy (katta used to mean ‘raise’).

豚 ぶた buta pig

象 ぞう zou elephant two big (square) ears

and a curved trunk

make an elephant.

-i Adjectives

Kanji + i

KANJI READING

On-yomi / Kun-yomi

MEANINGS REASONING FOR

MEANING

EXAMPLES

古い コ ko

ふる(い) furu(i)

old churches are old. 古い furui – old

古くない furukunai – not old

古かった furukatta – was old

古くなかった furukunakatta – was not

old

古くなります furuku narimasu –

becomes old (adverb)

古くて安い furukute yasui – old and

cheap (combining adjectives)

古い本 furui hon – an old book

古本 furu hon – a used book

中古車 chuu ko sha – a second hand car

長い チョウ chou

なが(い) naga(i)

long,

eldest, chief

長い nagai – long

長男 chou nan – the eldest son

学長 gaku chou – a (university / school)

president

校長先生 kou chou sensei – principal,

headmaster (leader of teachers)

社長 sha chou – Company president

長い道 nagai michi – a long road

短い タン tan

みじか(い) mijika(i)

short (distance) 短い mijikai – short

短時間 tan jikan – a short time

短大 tan dai – a junior college

高い コウ kou

たか(い) taka(i)

tall / Expensive looks like a tall

building. 高校 kou kou – a high school

高速 kou soku – high speed

高橋 Takahashi – Japanese surname

安い アン an

やす(い) yasu(i)

cheap, safe a woman inside a

building is cheap? 安売り (yasu u) ri – a bargain sale

安心 する an shin suru – to be relieved

安全な anzen na - safe

低い テイ tei

ひく(い) hiku(i)

low (height) 低温 tei on – low temperature

低下 する tei ka suru – to fall down, to

go down

暗い アン an

くら(い) kura(i)

dark, gloomy,

depressing

暗い kurai – dark

暗室 an shitsu – a dark room

多い タta

おお(い) ooi()

many, much 多少 ta shou – more or less

多数 ta suu – a large number

重い ジュウ juu

チョウ chou

おも(い) omoi

え e

かさ(なる) kasa(naru)

かさ(ねる) kasa(neru)

heavy 重い omoi – heavy

重くない omokunai – not heavy

重かった omokatta – was heavy

重くなかった omokunakatta – was not

heavy

貴重 ki chou – precious, valuable

重点 juu ten – important point

軽い かる(い) karu(i) light, easy

近い キン kin

ちか(い) chika(i)

near, early 近郊 kinkou – suburbs, outskirts

近所 kinjo - neighbourhood (near place)

近状 kinjou – recent condition

最近 saikin – recently, latest, newest

最近天気が悪い saikin tenki ga warui –

Lately the weather has been bad.

最近、台風が 多いです saikin, taifuu

ga ooi desu – Lately, there have been

many typhoons.

遠い とお(い) too(i) far

悪い アク aku

わる(い) waru(i)

bad, evil looks like an anchor on

top of the Kanji for

heart. When you do

something bad it

should weigh on your

heart (feel bad).

最悪 sai aku – worst case, the worst

悪魔 akuma – devil, demon

罪悪 zai aku – crime, sin

最近天気が悪い saikin tenki ga warui –

lately the weather has been terrible.

早い ソウ sou

はや(い) haya(i)

はや(まる) haya(maru)

はや(める) haya(meru)

fast, early looks like a stick man

and a stick man is fast. 早起き haya oki – early riser, getting up

early

早速 sassoku – immediately, at once

早咲き haya saki – early blooming

この浅い湾で、潮が 早く差す kono

asai wan de, shio ga hayaku sasu – In this

shallow bay, the tide comes up quickly.

早める hayameru – to hasten, bring

forward (not accelerate – 速める)

明るい メイ mei

ミョウ myou

あか(るい) aka(rui)

あ(ける) a(keru)

bright, lively,

cheerful

sun + moon = bright 明るい aka(rui) – bright, cheerful

明らか(な) akiraka(na) - obvious

明ける a(keru) to break (to dawn)

説明 setsumei – explanation

明治時代 mei ji ji dai – Meji era

文明 bun mei – civilization

明細 mei sai – particulars, details,

specifics

-shii Kanji + shii

新しい シン shin

あたら(しい)

atara(shii)

new 新しい atarashii – new

新しくない atarashikunai – not new

新しかった atarashikatta – was new

新しくなかった atarashikunakatta – was

not new

新しく買います atarashiku kaimasu –

newly buy (adverb)

新しくて高い atarashikute takai – new

and expensive (combining adjectives)

新しくなかった車 atarashikunakatta

kuruma – it was not a new car

新聞 shinbun – newspaper

新年 shin nen – a new year

楽しい ガク gaku

ラク raku

たの(しい) tano(shii)

たの(しむ)

tano(shimu)

enjoyment looks like a

microphone on a stage

that someone has

enjoyed singing in to.

楽しみます tanoshimimasu – to enjoy

音楽 ongaku – music

快楽 kairaku - pleasure

快楽主義 kairaku shu gi - Hedonism

快楽しか 求めない人も居る kairaku

shika motomenai hito mo iru – there are

people who seek only pleasure.

正しい セイ sei

ショウ shou

ただ(しい) tada(shii)

ただ(す) tadasu

まさ masa

correct, right, justice if you stop 止 to think

about it you will get it

right

正義 seigi – justice, righteousness

正月 shou gatsu – new year

改正 kai sei – revision; amendment

正解 sei kai – correct (answer)

公正 kou sei – fairness, impartiality

更正 kou sei – correction, revision

正座 sei za – sit (or squat) straight

正しかった です か tadashikatta

desu ka – Was that correct?

美しい うつく(しい)

utsuku(shii)

beautiful

忙しい いそが(しい)

isoga(shii)

busy 毎日 忙しい です mai nichi isogashii

desu – Every day I am busy

素晴ら

しい

すばら(しい)

subara(shii)

wonderful, superb

-na Adjectives

Kanji + na

静かな しずか(な) shizukana quiet 静かな 公園 です ね shizukana

kouen desu ne – It is a quiet park isn’t it?

穏やか

な

おだやか(な)

odayaka(na)

calm あの 人は 穏やか です ano hito wa

odayaka desu – That person is calm

真っ暗

な

まっくら(な)

makkura(na)

真っ暗な makkura(na) – pitch black

真っ黒 makkuro(na) – jet black

微かな ビ bi

かすか(な) kasuka(na)

faint, vague,

microscopic

微光写真 bikou shashin – low-light

photography

妙な みょうな myou(na) strange 妙に myouni – strangely...

簡単な かんたんな kantan(na) simplistic 試験は 簡単でした shiken wa kantan

deshita – The test was easy (simple)

平穏な へいおんな peaceful 平穏で 静かな 公園 です heion de

shizukana kouen desu – A peaceful and

quiet park

馬鹿な ばかな stupid a stupid person could

not tell the difference

between a horse 馬

場かな 質問 bakana shitsumon – a

stupid question

(uma) and a deer 鹿

(shika)

重要な じゅうような important 重要な 書類 jyuuyouna shorui – an

important document

More Adjectives

Kanji + others

少ない

少し

ショウ shou

すく(ない) sukunai

すこ(し) sukoshi

few, little Kanji for small (chiisai)

is in this kanji character

(few, little).

少し sukoshi – a little, a few

少年 shou nen – a boy

少女 shou jo – a girl

JLPT Level 3 Kanji

心 しん shin

こころ kokoro

heart, mind,

(relating to) emotion

the long line is the heart

and the short lines are the

blooooooood.

安心 an shin – relief, peace of mind

回 カイkai / エ e

まわ(る) mawa(ru)

まわ(す) mawa(su)

turn any way you turn it, it is

still a square in a square. 遠回り too mawari – detour

青 セイ sei

ショウ shou

あお(い) ao(i)

blue 青空 ao zora – blue skies

青森県 aomori ken – Aomori Prefecture

(northern Japan)

青色 ao iro – blue colour

赤 セキ seki

シャク shaku

あか(い) aka(i)

red the Kanji for earth is

above, and underneath is

the red fiery lava rising

up

赤道 seki dou – equator

赤字 aka ji – deficit, go in the red, red

letters

赤ちゃん aka chan – baby, infant

今月は赤字です kon getsu wa akaji desu

– this month we are in the red

秋 シュウ shuu

あき aki

autumn, fall (season) in the fall leaves have the

colour of fire. 秋ぶんの ひ shuu bun no hi – autumn

equinox holiday (September)

秋ば しょ aki ba sho – autumn sumo

tournament

開 カイ kai

あ(ける) a(keru)

to open through an open door we

can see a Shinto gate in

the distance.

ドアを開けて ください doa o akete

kudasai – please open the door

全開 zen kai – full throttle, all the way

開港 kai kou – open port, treaty port

再開 sai kai – re-opening, resumption

朝 チョウ chou

あさ asa

morning, dawn a car driving the moon

away (morning) 朝日新聞 Asahi shinbun – Asashi

newspaper

朝刊 Chou kan – Morning edition (of a

newspaper)

朝ごはん asa gohan – breakfast

毎朝 会社に 自転車で 行きます

mai asa kaisha ni jitensha de ikimasu –

Every morning I go to the office by

bicycle

味 ミ mi

あじ aji

あじ(わう) aji(wau)

taste, experience open your mouth to taste

a tree top 趣味 shumi - hobby

意味 imi – meaning

味見 aji mi – taste testing

隠し味 kakushi aji – hidden taste

集 シュウ shuu

あつ(まる) atsu(maru)

to collect, to gather my aerial is on top of the

tree (gathering signals) 編集 hen shuu – editing (newspaper,

book)

採集 sai shuu – collecting, gathering

兄 ケイ kei

キョウ kyou

あに ani

older brother the top part looks like an

eye. big brother is

watching you!

兄弟 kyou dai – brothers

姉 シ shi

あね ane

older sister my older sister 市(ichi)

works at the market

姉妹 shi mai - sisters

姉妹都市 shi mai to shi – sister cities

歩 ホ ho

フ fu

ある(く) aru(ku)

to walk, to step the top part is to stop 止

(tomeru) and the bottom

is little 少(し), so when

you walk a little you have

一歩一歩 ippo ippo – step by step, little

by little

散歩 sanpo - walking

あゆ(む) ayu(mu) to stop a little also. 一歩一歩日本語を勉強してください

ippo ippo nihongo o benkyou shite

kudasai – please study Japanese little by

little.

有 ユウ yuu

あ(る) ar(u)

to have, to exist

(inanimate object) you have a month 月

(getsu) to do something

固有 ko yuu – characteristic, inborn

有効 yuu kou – effective, valid

有罪 yuu zai – guilt, guiliness

有名(な) yuumei(na) – famous

医 イ i to heal, to cure a person lying in bed

with a bandage being

healed.

医者 isha – doctor

歯科医 shikai – dentist

医師 ishi – doctor, surgeon

意 イ i mind, heart,

attention

your mind and heart

(bottom) are standing to

attention (top part looks

like legs standing).

注意 chuui – attention, caution

意見 iken – opinion, view

意味 imi – meaning

意識 ishiki – consciousness, awareness

用意 youi – preparation

厚意 koui – kindness (better to use 好意 –

same spelling different Kanji)

殺意 satsui – intent to kill

危ないから、注意してください abunai

kara, chuui shite kudasai – since it is

dangerous, please be careful.

山田さんの 意見に 全く賛成だ

Yamada-san no iken ni mattaku sansei da

– I am in complete agreement with Mr.

Yamada.

以 イ i more, with, through,

on account of

以上 ijou – more than or at least

以下 ika – less than or at most

以外 igai – except, outside of

以降 ikou – on and after, hereafter,

thereafter

月曜日以外、毎日勉強します

getsuyoubi igai, mainichi benkyou

shimasu – except for Monday, I study

everyday.

家 カ ka

ケ ke

いえ ie

うち uchi

house the top part is a roof,

while the bottom is a pig.

You keep pigs at home.

家族 ka zoku - Family 借家 shaku ya – rental, rented house

恐妻家 kyou sai ka – a henpecked

husband

家財 ka zai – houshold effects (goods)

古い家に住んでいます furui ie ni sunde

imasu – I live in an old house.

借家を探しています shakuya o

sagashite imasu – I am looking for a place

to rent.

ほとんどの作家は批評に敏感である

hotondo no sakka wa hihyou ni binkan de

aru – Most writers are sensitive to

criticism.

急 キュウ kyuu

いそ(ぐ) iso(gu)

to hurry fish are always in a hurry

because their hearts 心

(kokoro) beat too fast.

急行 kyuukou – Express Train

急(な) kyuu(na) - sudden

妹 マイ mai

いもうとimouto

younger sister little girls (younger

sister) like to play

outside, hence the tree.

姉妹 shimai – sisters

姉妹都市 shimai to shi – sister cities

色 ショク shoku

シキ shiki

いろ iro

colour fishing hooks are

colourful to attract fish. 青色 ao iro – blue colour

灰色 hai iro – grey colour

黄緑色 kimadori iro – yellow-green (pea-

green)

黄色 ki iro – yellow

茶色 chairo – brown (tea colour)

音 オン on

イン in

おと oto

ね ne

sound if you stand on the sun

you will make a lot of

sound.

音読み on yomi – the ‘Chinese’ reading

of a Kanji (by sound)

音階 on kai – Musical scale

雑音 zatsu on – noise, jamming,

interference, grating

員 イン in member, official an official is just a shell

with a mouth. 委員 i in – committee member

職員 shoku in – staff

院 イン in institution, academy 参議院 san gi in – House of Councilors

病院 byouin – hospital

動 ドウ dou

うご(く) ugo(ku)

to move car plus power = moving. 移動 i dou – move, transfer

動物 dou butsu – animal

動物園 dou butsu en – zoo

活動 katsu dou – action, activity

私には政治活動に従事する暇はない –

watashi ni wa seijikatsudou ni juujisuru

hima wa nai – I don’t have time to get

involved in political activity.

歌 カ ka

うた uta

うた(う) uta(u)

a song, to sing a person on the right

singing into karaoke

boxes on the left.

短歌 tan ka – Tanka poem (a 31 syllable

Japanese poem)

写 シャ sha

うつす utsu(su)

to copy, to take (a

photo)

someone is moving the

camera to take a photo of

the number ‘5’.

写真 shashin – photograph, picture

映 エイ ei

うつ(す) utsu(su)

うつ(る) utsu(ru)

to be reflected, to

project onto a screen

Final Fantasy – person is

casting Reflect in front of

them.

今度映画を見に行きませんか kondo

eiga o mi ni ikimasen ka – next time, why

don’t we (go and see) a movie?

今度映画を見ましょう kondo eiga o

mimashou – next time, let’s see a movie.

海 カイ kai

うみ umi

sea, ocean the three marks on the

left mean ‘water’ and the

other symbol means

‘every’. Every water

comes from the ocean.

北海道 hokkaidou – Hokkaido (northern

Japanese island)

海外 kai gai - overseas, abroad

黄海 kou kai – the Yellow Sea

公海 kou kai – the high seas, international

waters

航海 kou kai – voyage, ocean navigation

紅海 kou kai – the Red Sea

売 バイ bai

う(る) u(ru)

う(り) u(ri)

sale, to sell looks like a man standing

behind a counter in his

shop, selling.

読売新聞 yomi uri shinbun – Yomiuri

Newspaper

運 ウン un

はに(ぶ) hani(bu)

carry,

luck

a man carrying a car

home that he has won

(because he is lucky).

運河 un ga – canal

運命 un mei – fate, destiny

安全運転 an zen unten – safe driving

幸運 kou un – good fortune, good luck

重いので、運べない omoi node,

hakobenai – since it is heavy, I can’t lift it.

英 エイ ei

ヨウ you

はなぶさ hanabusa

England, English,

grand

the top part of the Kanji

is grass (tea) which the

English drink a lot of.

英会話 ei kai wa – English conversation

石英 seki ei – quartz (grand stone)

英訳 ei yaku – English translation

英雄的 ei yuu teki – heroic

四年生は まだ英語が 分からない

yon nen sei wa mada eigo ga wakaranai –

4th

graders don’t understand English yet.

彼は英語教師としての 資格がある

kare wa eigo kyoushi toshite no shikaku

ga aru – He is qualified as an English

teacher.

終 シュウ shuu

シュ shu

お(わる) o(waru)

お(える) o(eru)

end, finish Winter is the ending

thread of the year. 最終 sai shuu – last, final

終電 shuu den – last train (for the night)

終了 shuu ryou – end, termination

この番組が 終わったら、寝ましょう

kono bangumi ga owattara, nemashou –

after this (TV) program ends, let’s go to

sleep.

トランスフォーマーズを 見終わった

ら、会社に 持って来ます toransufo-

ma-zu o mi owattara, kaisha ni motte

kimasu – When I have finished watching

Transformers I will bring [it] to the office

起 キ ki

コ ko

get up, wake up running at 2 in the

morning makes you wake 早起き haya oki – early riser, getting up

early

お(きる) o(kuru)

お(こす) o(kosu)

お(こる) o(koru)

up 一念発起 ichi nen hokki – to be resolved

to do something

朝の六時に 起きました asa no roku ji

ni okimashita – I woke up at 6 this

morning.

屋 オク oku

や ya

roof, house, shop a roof starts from the

ground up 本屋 hon-ya – book shop

部屋 heya – room (in a house)

靴屋 kutsu-ya – shoe shop

屋根 ya ne – roof

送 ソウ sou

ス su

おく(る) oku(ru)

send Mr. Yen is running away

(people sending money) 衛星放送 ei sei hou sou – satellite

broadcasting

生放送 nama hou sou – live broadcast

(radio, TV)

送金 sou kin – sending (transferring)

money

再放送 sai hou sou – rebroadcasting

送料込み sou ryou komi – shipping

(charges) included

教 キョウ kyou

おし(える) oshi(eru)

おそ(わる) oso(waru)

teach, education,

faith

child gets smacked by the

adult (teaching) 教会 kyou kai – church

キリスト教 kirisuto kyou – Christianity

宗教 shuu kyou – religion

教育 kyou iku – education

教科書 kyou ka sho – textbook

教材 kyou zai – teaching materials (aids)

教師 kyou shi – teacher, instructor

新しい住所を 教えてください

atarashii juusho o oshiete kudasai – Please

tell (teach) me your new address.

彼は 英語教師としての 資格がある

kare wa eigo kyoushi toshite no shikaku

ga aru – He is qualified as an English

teacher.

弟 テイ tei

おとうと otouto

younger brother a lot of younger brothers

have a bow and arrows 兄弟 kyou dai - brothers

師弟 shi tei – master and pupil; teacher

and student

同 ドウ dou

おな(じ) ona(ji)

same, agree, equal when everyone agrees

they have one 一 mouth

口

混同 kon dou – confusion, mixing

賛同 san dou – approval, endorsement

主 シュ shu

ス su

ぬし nushi

おも omo

Lord, master, the

principal matter

the Lord is above a king

王 (ou)

民主主義 min shu shu gi – democracy

快楽主義 kai raku shu gi – Hedonism

主人公 shu jin kou – master, hero,

heroine

印象主義 in shou shu gi – impressionism

(art)

主人 shujin – husband, the owner

思 シ shi

おも(う) omo(u)

think a lot of thinking can be

done in one’s heart 心(kokoro) in a rice field

田 (den)

七不思議 nana fu shi gi – the seven

wonders of the world

親 シン shin

おや oya

した(しい) shita(shii)

parent, relative,

familiar

being close to someone

(relative, familiar)

requires looking closely

at them (miru 見る).

父親 chichi oya – father

親指 oya yubi – thumb

アメリカから両親が来ます amerika

kara ryou shin ga kimasu – My parents are

coming from America.

立っているもの、親でも使え tatte iru

mono, oya demo tsukae – “Whoever is

standing, even if a parent, can be used (to

get things)” (a traditional saying).

彼は両親に よって塾へ 行くことを

強制された kare wa ryou shin ni yotte

juku e iku koto o kyou sei sareta – His

parents forced him to go to a cram school.

夏 カ ka

なつ natsu

Summer in Summer you get

hundreds 百 of friends 友

夏休み natsu yasumi – Summer vacation

画 ガ ga

かく kaku

えがく egaku

picture looks like a picture of a

rice field hung up on the

wall.

絵画 kai ga – picture, painting

計画 kei kaku – plan

画賛 ga san – legend (text) on a picture

今度映画を 見に 行きませんか

kondo eiga o mini ikimasen ka – Next

time, why don’t we (go and see) a movie?

界 カイ kai

さかい sakai

world feed the world using a

rice field 田 (den)

界 sakai - world

世界 se kai – the world

世界一 se kai ichi – the best in the world

帰 キ ki

かえ(る) kae(ru)

かえ(す) kae(su)

return, arrive at looks like a man

returning to his home

(entering the front door).

帰国 ki koku – return to one’s own

country

国へ帰ります kuni e kaerimasu – I am

returning to my own country.

代 ダイ dai

タイ tai

か(える) ka(eru)

generation,

price,

a dog with a broken leg is

behind the times and the

price to fix it is

時代 ji dai - era, the times, generation

古代 ko dai - ancient times

明治時代 mei ji ji dai - Meji era

か(わる) ka(waru)

しろ shiro

よ yo

age,

exchange, substitute

expensive. 時代錯誤 ji dai saku go - anachronism,

being behind the times

交代 kou tai - take turns, relieve (a

person)

電話代 denwadai – telephone charge

風 フウ fuu

かぜ kaze

wind, air,

style

an insect 虫 (mushi) is

hiding under a tent

because it is windy.

最近、台風が 多いです sai kin, taifuu

ga ooi desu – lately, there have been many

typhoons.

風 kaze – a cold, wind

風をじみです kaze o jimi desu – I have a

cold.

貸 カ ka

か(す) ka(su)

lend kanji for “buy” 買 (kau)

is paired with

“generation” 代 (dai) to

show money going from

one person to another

(lending).

貸す kasu – to lend

方 ホウ kou

かた kata

person,

way,

direction

looks like a person

running in a direction. 方言 hou gen – dialect

夕方 yuugata - evening

方向 hou kou – direction, bearing, course

平方根 hei hou kon – square root (math)

紙 シ shi

かみ kami

paper paper is made of threads

糸(ito) of wood

折り紙 origami – origami (paper folding)

手紙 tegami – letter (lit. hand-paper)

通 ツウ tsuu

とお(る) too(ru)

とお(す) too(su)

go through, avenue,

traffic

交通 kou tsuu – traffic; transportation

この道路は 交通が少ない kono dou ro

wa kou tsuu ga sukunai – Traffic is light

on this road.

かよ(う) kayo(u)

借 シャク shaku

か(りる) ka(riru)

borrow, rent a person (left radical)

borrows things during

the day 日 (ni)

借家 shaku-ya – rented, rented house

漢 カン kan China China is across the

ocean, so the three marks

on the left mean ‘water’.

館 カン kan

やかた yakata

palace, building a government 官 (kan)

building has a place to

eat 食べる (taberu)

図書館 toshokan – library

体育館 tai iku kan – a gym

後で体育館の 後ろで会いましょう

ato de taiikukan no ushiro de aimashou –

Later, let’s meet behind the gym.

元 ゲン gen

ガン gan

もと moto

beginning, origin it has two legs going

back to the beginning 元気 genki – healthy, strong, fine

お元気ですか o-genki desu ka – How are

you?

考 コウ kou

かんが(える) kanga(eru)

thought, think,

consider

someone is striking the

ground 土 (do) by

thinking.

参考 san kou - reference, consultation

着 チャク chaku

き(る) ki(ru)

き(せる) ki(seru)

つ(く) tsu(ku)

つ(ける) tsu(keru)

wear (clothes),

arrive

at the top is the character

for sheep 羊 and you

wear clothes made from

wool.

着る kiru – wear

着く tsuku – to arrive

水着 mizu gi – swim suit, bathing suit

上着 uwagi – jacket, coat

到着 touchaku – arrival

究 キュウ kyuu

きわ(める) kiwa(meru)

research, study researching six and nine. 彼は 研究の 対象を 拡大した

kare wa kenkyuu no taishou o kakudai

shita – He expanded the focus of his

research.

去 キョ kyo

コ ko

さ(る) sa(ru)

past, gone,

to leave

it is a boat with the sail

going past 去年 kyo nen – last year

過去 kako – past

京 キョウ kyou

ケイ kei

みやこ miyako

capital looks like a tall building,

like you might see in a

capital city.

東京 toukyou - Tokyo

京都 kyouto – Kyoto

東京は いくつ目の 駅ですか

toukyou wa ikutsu me no eki desu ka –

How many stations until Tokyo?

強 キョウ kyou

ゴウ gou

つよ(い) tsuyo(i)

つよ(まる) tsuyo(maru)

つよ(める) tsuyo(meru)

し(いる) shi(iru)

strong a bow on the left, and

(looks like) a man’s face

on the right. a strong man

can use a bow.

勉強 benkyou – study

強制 kyousei – coercion

一歩一歩日本語を 勉強してください

ippo ippo nihongo o benkyou shite

kudasai – Please study Japanese little by

little.

業 ギョウ gyou

ゴウ gou

わざ waza

business, vocation a big fancy Mr.Yen, and

business gets you lots of

money.

鉱業 kou gyou – mining (industry)

残業 zan gyou – overtime

卒業 sotsugyou – graduation

切 セツ sei

サイ sai

き(る) ki(ru)

き(れる) ki(reru)

cut, cut off seven 七 swords 刀 cut

better than one

大切 taisetsu – important

親切 shinsetsu – kind, helpful

電池が 切れました denchi ga

kiremashita – The battery is dead.

銀 ギン gin

しろがね shirogane

silver metal on the left, right

symbol looks kind of like

a silver spoon

銀行 ginkou – bank

工 コウ kou

ク ku

construction, craft looks like an I beam for

construction 細工 saiku – work, craftmanship

工場 koujou – factory, plant

黒 コク koku

くろ(い) kuro(i)

black the sun 日 is burning the

ground 土 black

白黒 shiro kuro - white and black

計 ケイ kei

はか(る) haka(ru)

はか(らう) haka(rau)

plan, measure planning and measuring

takes talk 目覚まし時計 me zamashi do kei – alarm

clock

計画 keikaku – plan

計算 keisan – computation, calculation

気圧計 kiatsukei – barometer

時計 tokei – clock

研 ケン ken

と(ぐ) to(gu)

study of,

sharpen

sharpen your study of

rocks 石 (ishi)

研究 kenkyuu – study, research

建 ケン ken

た(つ) ta(tsu)

た(てる) ta(teru)

build there is a number ‘3’ on

the left, and on the right

is part of ‘book’. You

need three books to build

a house

再建 sai ken – reconstruction, rebuilding

建設 ken setsu – construction

そのビルは 未だ 建設中です sono

biru wa imada kensetsu chuu desu – That

building is still under construction.

験す ケン ken

ため(す) tame(su)

testing, test, examine,

effect

looks like a person

standing by a desk (on

the left) with a high

board because he is

taking a test

試験 shiken – test

試験管 shikenkan – test tube

試験まで 後 一週間 shiken made ato

ishuukan – There is one week before the

test.

それは まだ 実験段階に あります

sore wa mada jikkendankai ni arimasu – It

is still in the experimental stage.

広 コウ kou

ひろ(い) hiro(i)

ひろ(がる) hiro(garu)

ひろ(げる) hiro(geru)

ひろ(まる) hiro(maru)

ひろ(める) hiro(meru)

wide, broad, spacious there is a lot of space

around this kanji 広告 kou koku – advertisement

この道は 広いです kono michi wa

hiroi desu – This road is wide.

知識を 広める chishiki o hiromeru –

To widen one’s knowledge.

試 シ shi

ため(す) tame(su)

こころ(みる)

kokoro(miru)

test, try, examine saying words 言 (iu)

during a ceremony 式

(shiki) makes an

experiment

試験 shiken – test, examine

答 トウ tou

こた(え) kota(e)

こた(える) kota(eru)

answer, solution “Who designed your T-

Shirt?” and I answered

“Two pidgeons on a

rooftop”!!!

応答 する outou suru – to respond

事 ジ ji

ズ zu

こと koto

thing, matter,

business,

fact

故事 koji – tradition, historical fact, origin

事故 jiko – accident, trouble

自分の 才能を 生かせるような仕事

を したい jibun no sainou o ikaseru you

na shigoto o shitai – I want to do work

that will make the most of my abilities.

五日 たてば 仕事が 完了するだろ

う itsuka tateba shigoto ga kanryou suru

darou – We should complete this job in

five days.

転 テン ten

ころ(ぶ) koro(bu)

ころ(がす) koro(gasu)

ころ(がる) koro(garu)

ころ(げる) koro(geru)

revolve, turn around you need space 広い

(hiroi) to turn your car 車

(kuruma) around

自転車 jitensha – bicycle

安全 運転 an zen unten – safe driving

転換 tenkan – convert

作 サク saku

サ sa

つく(る) tsuku(ru)

make, prepare,

produce the mark to the left イ

represents a person, so

someone who is making

something

工作 kou saku – handcraft, manoeuvring

耕作 kou saku - cultivate, till, plow

作品 sakuhin – creation, opus

ほとんどの作家は批評に敏感である

hotondo no sakka wa hihyou ni binkan de

aru – Most writers are sensitive to

criticism.

止 シ shi

と(まる) to(maru)

と(める) to(meru)

やめる ya(meru)

stop looks like a road block

which makes you stop 立ち入り禁止 tachi iri kin shi - do not

enter

喫煙の 習慣を 止めることが でき

たらいいね kitsuen no shuukan o

yamerukoto ga dekitara ii ne – It’d be nice

if I could kick my smoking habit.

自 ジ ji

シ shi

みずか(ら) mizuka(ra)

self, oneself it is the kanji ‘me’目(eye) but with an

eyebrow which means

‘Me’

自分 jibun – oneself, myself

自白 jihaku – confession (self + white =

“I come clean”)

自転車 jitensha – bicycle

自動車 jidousha - car

自首 jishu – surrender, give oneself up

自己紹介 ji ko shou kai – self-

introduction

自殺 jisatsu – suicide

自賛 jisan – self-praise

自然 shizen – natural

仕 シ shi

つか(える) tsuka(eru)

serve,

official,

attend

work (serve) until you

die (grave). 五日 たてば 仕事が 完了するだろ

う itsuka tateba shigoto ga kanryou suru

darou – We should complete this job in

five days.

死 シ shi

し(ぬ) shi(nu)

die, death it could be two souls

dead under the land (the

line along the top).

枯死 koshi – withering, dying

死罪 shizai – capital punishment, capital

offence

始 シ shi

はじ(まる) haji(maru)

はじ(める) haji(meru)

beginning, begin,

start the woman 女 (onna) on

stage 台 began to

perform

始めまして hajimemashite – a greeting

(when meeting for the first time)

使 シ shi

つか(う) tsuka(u)

use looks like an old man

looking at a stick of

bamboo and wondering

how to use it.

大使館 taishikan - embassy

使って も いい です か tsukatte

mo ii desu ka – may I use (this)?

彼は 高価な 材料を ふんだんに

使って 家を建てた kare wa kouka na

zairyou o fundan ni tsukatte uchi o tateta –

He was lavish in the use of expensive

materials in building his house.

地 チ chi

ジ ji

ground, soil (in the

context of the Earth,

Holy place etc)

contains the kanji for

ground/soil 土地 tochi – ground, soil, area

地下鉄 chikatetsu - subway

地域 chiiki – local, area, zone, district

耕地 kouchi – cultivated land

砂地 sunaji – sandy place, sandy terrain

地理 chiri - geography

持 ジ ji

も(つ) mo(tsu)

も(てる) mo(teru)

hold, have a man in front of a

temple holding

something.

維持 iji - maintenance

持参 jisan – bringing or taking with one

支持 shiji – support

二千円札を 持っています か ni sen

en satsu o motte imasu ka – Do you have

a 2000 yen bill?

DVD を 持っています DVD o motte

imasu – I have a DVD.

質 シツ shitsu

シチ shichi

quality, matter,

substance

two axes chopping into

the shell to see what the

quality is.

質問 shitsu mon – question

材質 zai shitsu – material properties,

lumber quality

室 シツ shitsu

むろ muro

room, chamber the top part of a room is a

roof 更衣室 kou i shitsu – dressing room

個室 koshitsu – private room

品 ヒン hin

しな shina

goods, article,

elegance, dignity

three mouths 口 look like

three boxes (goods)

物品 buppin – goods

上品 jouhin – elegant

食料品 shokuryouhin – groceries

作品 sakuhin – creation, opus

者 シャ sha

もの mono

someone, person this kanji represents a

person’s life. There is the

sun (birth) and the

ground (looks like a

grave).

医者 isha – doctor, physician

妻帯者 sai tai sha – a married man

習 シュウ shuu

なら(う) nara(u)

learn, practice it is a face of someone

looking troubled because

it is hard to practice

練習 renshuu - practice

慣習 kanshuu – usual custom

習慣 shuukan – custom, habit, manners

Japanese. 社会の 慣習は 国に よって異なる

shakai no kanshuu wa kuni ni yotte

kotonaru – Customs differ depending on

the country.

その習慣は 日本独特の もの だ

sono shuukan wa nihon dokutoku no

mono da – That custom is unique to

Japan.

住 ジュウ juu

す(まう) su(mau)

す(む) su(mu)

live, reside, dwell you are the lord 主 of the

house you live in

住所 jusho – address

三年間 日本に 住みました san nen

kan nihon ni sumimashita – I lived in

Japan for three years.

古い家に 住んでいます furui ie ni

sunde imasu – I live in an old house.

新しい住所を 教えてください

atarashii juusho o oshiete kudasai – Please

tell me your new address.

春 シュン shun

はる haru

spring (season) three 三 people 人 out in

the sun 日 in springtime.

春雨 haru same – Spring Rain

場 ジョウ jyou

チュウ chuu

ば ba

place, location the earth 土 is a place

under the sun 日

駐車場 chuu sha jou – parking lot /

garage

市場 ichi ba - market

場合 ba ai – a case, situation

ここはいい場所ですね koko wa ii basho

desu ne – Isn’t this a nice place?

いつも 駐車場が 混んでいますitsumo chuushajou ga konde imasu –

(This) parking lot is always full.

知 チ chi

し(る) shi(ru)

to know, wisedom the kanji on the left

means arrow 矢 (ya) and

the right kanji is a mouth

口 (guchi). wisedom is

like an arrow from one’s

mouth.

知識 chishiki – knowledge, learning

温故知新 on ko chishin – exploring the

old (past), one comes to understand the

new (present)

告知 koku chi – notify, announce

彼に だけ知らせないの は 不公平

だ kare ni dake shirasenai no wa fukouhei

da – It isn’t fair to leave only him in the

dark.

真 シン shin

ま ma

true, reality 真実 shin jitsu – truth, reality

写真 shashin – photograph, picture

真っ赤 makka – really red

真っ白 masshiro – really white

真ん中 mannaka – right in the middle

図 ズ zu

ト to

はか(る) haka(ru)

map, drawing, plan X marks the spot on this

treasure map 図書館 toshokan - library

地図 chizu - map

合図 aizu – sign, signal

地図を 見せてください chizu o misete

kudasai – Please show me the map

世 セイ sei

セ se

よ yo

generation, world,

society

looks like katakana se

セ because it (katakana)

derives from kanji. It is

the previous generation.

世界一 se kai ichi – the best in the world

世紀 sei ki - century

浮世絵 uki yoe – Ukiyoe (woodblock

print)

夕 セキ seki

ゆう yuu

evening 夕方 yuugata - evening

夕焼け yuuyake – sunset

走 ソウ sou

はし(る) hashi(ru)

run looks like a man running 本田さんは マラソンを はしりまし

た honda-san wa marason o

hashirimashita – Mr.Honda ran a

marathon.

族 ゾク zoku family, tribe on the left is person 方

(kata) and on the right

arrow 矢 (ya), so this

represents a person

hunting food for his tribe

(family).

家族 kazoku – family

民族 minzoku – tribe

注 チュウ chuu

そそ(ぐ) soso(gu)

pour, flow into,

concentrate

the Lord 主 is

concentrating on the

water (kanji on the left).

注目 chuu moku – attention, notice

注意 chuui – careful (concentrate)

危ないから、注意してください abunai

kara, chuui shite kudasai – Since it is

dangerous, please be careful.

台 タイ tai

ダイ dai

stand, stage, pedestal looks like someone on a

stage shouting into a

microphone (side-on

view)

最近、台風が多いです sai kin, taifuu ga

ooi desu – Lately, there have been many

typhoons.

待 タイ tai

ま(つ) ma(tsu)

wait, depend on person + time = wait ちょっと 待って ください chotto

matte kudasai – please wait a moment

題 ダイ dai topic, subject a person with a shellfish

on his leg is a subject of

study

飲み放題 nomi hou dai – all you can

drink

宿題 shuku dai – homework

問題 mondai – problem, issue, question

この問題は 難しい kono mondai wa

muzukashii – This problem is difficult.

度 ド do

タク taku

たび tabi

degree,

time,

times occurred

今度 kondo – next time, soon

硬度 koudo – hardness

支度 shitaku – arrangement, preparation

今度映画を 見ましょう kondo eiga o

mimashou – Next time let’s see a movie.

制度を 改めた seido o aratameta –

They changed the system.

旅 リョ ryo

たび tabi

travel, trip the top right hand

horizontal line is an arm

passing a ticket to a

person 方 (kata) for their

trip.

旅行 ryokou – trip, travel

次の 旅行は どこに 行きたい で

す か tsugi no ryokou wa doko ni ikitai

desu ka – Where do you want to go for the

next trip?

旅館 ryokan - Japanese-style inn

昼 チュウ chuu

ひる hiru

noon, daytime the sun 日 is in the

middle at noon

昼休み hiru yasumi – lunch break

町 チョウ chou

まち machi

town, village think of a small town

with a T shaped road

leading to a rice field

車で町に行きましょう kuruma de

machi ni ikimashou – Let’s go to town by

car.

この町は 見るところが 多いです

kono machi wa miru tokoro ga ooi desu –

This town has a lot to see.

問 モン mon

と(い) to(i)

と(う) to(u)

question, ask,

problem you go to the gate 門 and

speak with your mouth

口 if you have a problem

or need to ask a question.

質問 shitsu mon – question

この問題は 難しいです kono mondai

wa muzukashii desu – This problem is

difficult.

質問があります shitsumon ga arimasu

– I have a question.

冬 トウ tou

ふゆ fuyu

winter think of a cloud dropping

two snowflakes in winter 冬眠 tou min – hibernation

堂 ドウ dou hall here we see the ground, a

roof, and in the middle a

mouth (the hallway)

食堂 shokudou – dining hall

任天堂 nintendou – Nintendo. 任

responsibility/duty, 天 heaven

特 トク toku special the left symbol looks like

a cow. A special cow

was dontated to the

temple.

特技 toku gi – special skills

特急 tokkyuu – special express train

その習慣は 日本独特の もの だ

sono shuukan wa nihon dokutoku no

mono da – That custom is unique to

Japan.

野 ヤ ya

の no

plains, field on the other side of a

village 里 (sato) there is

a field (wilderness)

野球 yakyuu - baseball

長野 nagano – Nagano Prefecture

野菜 yasai - vegetables

荒野 kou ya – wilderness, the wilds

発 ハツ hatsu / パツ patsu depart, start from,

to happen

it looks like a rocket

departing to the stars 一年発起 ichi nen hokki – to be resolved

to do something

出発 shuppatsu – leave, departure

告発 koku hatsu – prosecution, accusation

再発 sai hatsu – relapse, recurrence

発音 hatsuon - pronounciation

発散 hassan – exhalation, emanation,

diffusion, radiation, evaporation

発売 hatsu bai – released for sale

飯 ハン han

めし meshi

meal, cooked rice the left part is to eat 食べ

る (taberu), and you can

朝ご飯 asa gohan - breakfast

昼ご飯 hiru gohan – lunch

see an F in there too

(people in famine need a

meal)

晩ご飯 ban gohan – dinner

病 ビョウ byou

ヘイ hei

やまい yamai

や(む) ya(mu)

ill, sick could be an ill person on

a hospital bed (top down

view)

黄熱病 ou netsu byou – yellow fever

病院 byouin – hospital

病気になる byouki ni naru – to become

sick

不 フ fu negative, bad, non- it’s bad when your back

is down and falling apart 七不思議 nana fu shi gi – the seven

wonders

不安 fu an – uneasiness, anxiety

不幸 fu kou – unhappiness, misfortune

不在 fu zai - absence

服 フク fuku clothing,

obey

obey me and wear the

moon as clothing 洋服 you fuku – Western-style

clothes

別 ベツ betsu

わか(れる) waka(reru)

separate, another,

specially

the bottom part is the

kanji for sword 刀 so this

kanji separates it from

others

特別 toku betsu - special

別々に betsu betsu ni – separately

別荘 bessou – a second house

区別 ku betsu - to make a distinction

差別 sa betsu – discrimination

料 リョウ ryou fee,

materials

the part to the left is rice

米 (bei) which is an

essential material to pay

for.

給料 kyuu ryou – pay, salary

香辛料 kou shin ryou – spices, seasoning

香料 kou ryou – spices, perfumes

送料込み sou ryou komi – shipping

(charges) included

材料 zai ryou – material, matter, factor,

element

資料 shi ryou – materials, data

理 リ ri truth, logic, reason in ancient times the king

王(ou) of the village 里

(sato) would be the

person with the logic and

reason.

地理 chiri - geography

論理 ron ri - logic

理論 ri ron - theory

理解 ri kai – understanding, comprehend

料理 ryouri - cooking

管理 kan ri – control, management

理由を 知りません riyuu o shirimasen

– I do not know the reason

彼に 財産管理を 任せた kare ni

zaisankanri o makaseta – I left the

management of my property up to him

洋 ヨウ you the west, western-

style,

ocean

ever play Worms? water

+ sheep = aquasheep (a

western idea from across

the ocean)

大西洋 tai sei you – Atlantic Ocean

洋服 you fuku – Western-style

clothes

曜 ヨウ you weekday 水曜日 sui youbi – Wednesday

何曜日ですか nan youbi desu ka – What

day (of the week) is it?

今日は 土曜日です kyou wa doyoubi

desu – Today is Saturday

月曜日以外、毎日 勉強します

getsuyoubi igai, mainichi benkyou

shimasu – Except for Monday, I study

everyday.

夜 ヤ ya

よ yo

よる yoru

evening, night 今夜 kon ya – this evening

昨夜 saku ya – last night

用 ヨウ you

もち(いる) mochi(iru)

use, service, business in the service business

everybody wants the

moon on a stick (moon

月 with a line through it)

用意 you i – prepare, preparations

引用 in you – quotation, citation

雇用 ko you – hire, employment

採用 sai you – adoption, acceptance,

employment, appointment

勉 べん ben exertion it takes power 力

(chikara) to exert oneself

勉強 benkyou – study

空 クウ kuu

そら sora

す(く)su(ku)

あ(く) a(ku)

sky, weather,

empty

The number six 六 (roku)

is in the sky

空く suku – to become empty, hungry

空く aku – to become empty (not used for

hungry)

空 kara – empty

空手 karate – Karate (empty hand)

会 カイ kai

あ(う) a(u)

meeting, conference,

gathering

People gather inside a hut

for a meeting 会社 kaisha – office

会議 kaigi – meeting

会話 kaiwa – conversation

教会 kyoukai – Church

会う au – to meet

JLPT Level 2 Kanji

愛 アイ ai

いと(しい) ito(shi)

love tomo(dachi) 友 is at the

bottom and you love your

friends.

愛知県 aichi ken – Aichi prefecture

愛妻弁当 ai sai bentou – lunch box

packed with love by ones wife

愛妻 aisai – someone’s beloved wife

圧 アツ atsu

pressure looks like a jack that you

raise a car with, in order

to test the pressure of

tires

気圧 ki atsu – atmospheric pressure

圧巻 akkan – highlight, masterpiece

タイヤの 空気圧を 調べて もらえ

ます か - taiya no kuukiatsu o shirabete

moraemasu ka – Could you check the tire

pressure?

案 アン an proposal, idea it was a good idea to put

the woman on the tree 案内 する annai suru – to show around

君の 案を 実行に 移せると 思っ

て いるの か kimi no an o jikkou ni

utsuseru to omotte iru no ka – Do you

think you can put your idea into practice?

委 イ i commit, entrust with a woman is trustworthy

about her family tree 委員 iin – committee member

その問題は 委員会に かけられてい

る sono mondai wa iinkai ni kakerate iru

– The question is before the committee

胃 イ i stomach fill your stomach after

the harvest moon 仕事が 胃にこたえて きた よ

shigoto ga i ni kotaete kita yo – My job is

giving me a stomach-ache

囲 イ i

かこ(う) kako(u)

かこ(む) kako(mu)

surround, enclose you enclose a well 井

with a wall

雰囲気 funiki – an atmosphere (of a

place)

日本では、あなたは美に よって 囲

まれて いる nihon de wa, anata wa bi

ni yotte kakomarete iru – In Japan you are

surrounded by beauty

位 イ i

くらい kurai

rank, position, about,

approximately

一位 ichi i – first place

その 歌手は マドンナと 同じ 位

有名だ sono kashu wa Madonna to onaji

kurai yuumei da – That singer is as

famous as Madonna.

衣 イi

ころも koromo

clothes, garments you can see the letters F I

T in this kanji, and to get

fit you need gym clothes

更衣室 kou i shitsu – changing room

その 金が 全て 衣服に 使われた

sono kane ga subete ifuku ni tsukawareta

– All the money was spent on clothes.

移 イ i

うつ(す) utsu(su)

うつ(る) utsu(ru)

transfer, infect, move with two タ s this kanji is

on the move

移動 i dou – move, transfer (something)

君の 案を 実行に 移せると 思っ

て いるの か kimi no an o jikkou ni

utsuseru to omotte iru no ka – Do you

think you can put your idea into practice?

異 イ i

こと koto

different 異常 ijou – abnormal, unusual

差異 sai – difference, disparity

依 イ i

エ e

depend on the left radical is ‘person’

and the right is ‘clothes’

衣 – a person depends on

clothes for survival

依存 izon – dependence (state of

depending on)

偉 イ i

えら(い) era(i)

great, high ranking a great person has a

person to his left 偉人 ijin – a great person

違 イ i

ちが(う) chiga(u)

ちが(える) chiga(eru)

different, wrong,

differ

the difference between

wrong 違う and great 偉

い is slight but important.

違反 ihan – violation, offence

域 イキ iki region, boundary this kanji is land 土 with

lines around it dividing it

up into regions

地域 chi iki – local, area, zone, district

育 イク iki

そだ(つ) soda(tsu)

そだ(てる) soda(teru)

bring up, educate,

grow

教育 kyou iku – education

体育館 tai iku kan – a gym

後で 体育館の 後ろで 会いましょ

う ato de taiikukan no ushiro de aimashou

– Later let’s meet behind the gym

印 イン in

しるし shirushi

sign, mark this kanji is a picture of

the Fonz saying “hEy” –

his sign or mark

刻印 koku in – carved seal, stamp

印刷 in satsu – printing

印象 in shou - impression

第一 印象が 大事である daiichi

inshou ga daiji de aru – First impressions

are important

この 印は 何を あらわして いま

す か kono shirushi wa nani o

arawashite imasu ka – What does this sign

signify?

因 イン in

よ(る) yo(ru)

cause if you put something big

大 (ookii) in your mouth

口 (guchi) it will cause

you to choke

火事の 原因は だいたい 分かって

いる kaji no genin wa daitai wakette iru –

There is not much doubt about the cause

of the fire

羽 ウ u

はね hane

wing, feather looks like two wings 二羽 ni wa – two birds (wa is the counter

for birds)

庭には、二羽、鶏が います niwa ni

wa, niwa, niwatori ni imasu – There are

two chickens in the garden

宇 ウ u universe,

house

looks like an alien from

somewhere in the

universe

宇宙人 uchuu jin - alien

雲 ウン un

くも kumo

cloud the top symbol is rain

which comes from clouds 黒い 雲が でて きた よ kuroi

kumo ga dete kita yo – Dark clouds are

gathering

月が 雲の 間 から でた tsuki ga

kumo no aida kara deta – The moon came

out from behind the clouds

泳 エイ ei

およ(ぐ) oyo(gu)

swim two waters (left radical

and 水) make up this

kanji so there is a lot of

water to swim in

川で 泳ぎましょう kawa de

oyogimashou – Let’s swim in the river

栄 エイ ei

さか(える) saka(eru)

は(え) ha(e)

は(える) ha(eru)

flourish, glory a tree with a crown must

be truly flourishing 栄光 eikou – glory

栄枯盛衰 eiko seisui – prosperity and

decline, rise and fall

発言を 求められた ことを 光栄に

思います hatsugen o moto merareta koto

o kouei ni omoimasu - am honoured that

you should ask me to speak

ご栄転 おめでとう ございます

goeiten omedetou gozaimasu – I am so

happy about your promotion

営 エイ ei

いとな(む) itona(mu)

manage,

the hat denotes authority

and the big mouth means 自営 jiei – self-employed

この 事務所の 通常営業 時間は

barracks it is your manager 九時 から 五時 まで です kono

jimusho no tsuujoueigyou jikan wa kuji

kara goji made desu – The usual business

hours in this office are from nine to five

永 エイ ei

なが(い) naga(i)

eternity, forever this looks like water 水

with more water being

poured onto it, so it

continues forever

永遠 eien – forever, eternity

永久歯 ei kyuu shi – permanent teeth

あなたは 永久に 日本を 去るの

では ない でしょう ね anata wa

eikyuu ni nihon o saru no de wa nai

deshou ne – You are not leaving Japan for

good are you?

鋭 エイ ei

するど(い) surudo(i)

sharp (wit, object, but

not as in fashion) metal 金 (kin) is sharp あたま が 鋭い atama ga surudoi –

clever, quick-witted

液 エキ eki liquid the water radical can be

seen

易 エキ eki

イ i

やさ(しい) yasa(shii)

easy looks similar to horse 馬

(uma) and horse riding is

easy

当時 よい 職を 得る ことは 決

して 容易では なかった touji yoi

shoku o eru koto wa kesshite youi de wa

nakatta – In those days it was far from

easy to come by a good job

越 エツ eji

こえる ko(eru)

こす ko(su)

go over, cross,

exceed, move to

the right radical looks

like a man walking

briskly away from a

telegraph pole, crossing

over the road

引越し hikkoshi – to move to (another

house)

園 エン en

その sono

garden a garden is enclosed with

earth 土 (do) inside 公園 kouen – park

動物園 doubutsu en – zoo

園芸 en gei – gardening

この 公園には たくさんの 鳥が

います kono kouen ni wa takusan no tori

ga imasu – There are many birds in this

park

公園に たいへん 多くの 人が い

る kouen ni taihen ooku no hito ga iru –

There are a great many people in the park

公園は どちらの 方向に あります

か kouen wa dochira no houkou ni

arimasu ka – Which direction is the park

in?

塩 エン en

しお shio

salt salt comes from the earth

土 (do) and this looks

like a pestle and mortar

もう ちょっと 塩味を きかせてみ

たら mou chotto shioaji o kikasete mitara

– How about adding a little more salt?

演 エン en act, perform (a play) 講演 kou en – lecture

演じる enjiru – to act or perform

開演は 午後 七時 で ある kaien

wa gogo shichiji de aru – The curtain goes

up at 7pm

延 エン en

の(びる) no(biru)

の(べる) no(beru)

の(ばす) no(basu)

postpone, extend,

total the radical for stop 止め

る (tomeru) is running

ahead, extending the race

延長 enchou - extension

煙 エン en

けむり kemuri

けむ(る) kemu(ru)

smoke 喫煙の 習慣を 止める ことが 出

来たら いい ね kitsuen no shuukan o

yameru koto ga dekitara ii ne – It’d be

けむ(い) kemu(i) nice if I could kick my smoking habit

汚 オ o

きたな(い) kitana(i)

よご(す) yogo(su)

よご(れる) yogo(reru)

けが(す) kega(su)

けが(れる) kega(reru)

dirty, to soil this looks like a

blindfolded man’s face

with his mouth open

about to put something

dirty in it

汚染物 osenbutsu - contamination

王 オウ ou king 王国 oukoku - kingdom

央 オウ ou centre

その 公園は 市の 中央に 位置し

て いる sono kouen wa shi no chuuou

ni ichi shite iru – The park lies in the

middle of the city

公園の 中央に 池が ある kouen no

chuuou ni ike ga aru – There is a pond in

the middle of the park

横 オウ ou

よこ yoko

side, width, beside 横領罪 ou ryou zai – usurpation,

embezzlement

公園を 横切って 歩いた kouen o

yokogitte aruita – I walked across the park

一日中 ベッドに 横たわって いた

ら うんざりした ichinichijuu beddo ni

yokotawatte itara unzari shita – I got tired

of lying in bed all day

応 オウ ou response when somebody’s heart

is bleeding you need an

urgent response

呼応 koou – agreement, act in concert

新しい 仕事に 適応 出来ます か

atarashii shigoto ni tekiou dekimasu ka –

Can you adapt yourself to the new job?

欧 オウ ou Europe navigating the seas using

a map and a telescope to

find Europe

欧米 oubei – Europe and America

押 オウ ou

お(す) o(su)

お(さえる) o(saeru)

push, hold the left kanji radical is

like a hand 手 (te)

pushing down

はしごを 押さえて いて ください

hashigo o osaete ite kudasai – Please hold

the ladder

奥 オウ ou

おくoku

inner part, depths,

heart of, interior

奥さん okusan – (someone’s) wife

億 オク oku hundred million a hundred million of

something is likely to get

a person’s (left) attention

(right) 意 (i)

地球は およそ 五十億年 前に 生

まれた chikyuu wa oyoso gojuu okunen

mae ni umareta – The earth came into

existence about five thousand million

years ago

日本の 人口は 約 一億 二千万

人 です nihon no jinkou wa yaku

ichioku nisenman nin desu – The

population of Japan is about 120 million

温 オン on

あたた(かい) atata(kai)

あたた(める)

atata(meru)

あたた(まる)

atata(maru)

warm (temperature) this kanji has warm

things in it like sparks

(left) the sun (top) and

blood (bottom)

一時間 ジョギング したら 体が

温かく なった ichiji kan jogingu

shitara karada ga atatakaku natta – I got

warm from jogging for an hour

スープ が 温まる まで 待ちなさ

い su-pu ga atatamaru made machinasai –

Wait until the soup warms

科 カ ka subject of study 教科書 kyoukasho – textbook

歯科医 shikai – dentist

その 店では 教科書を 売って い

る sono mise de wa kyoukasho o utte iru –

They sell textbooks at the bookstore

これは よい 教科書 だ kore wa yoi

kyoukasho da – This is a good textbook

どの 教科 が 不得意 です か

dono kyouka ga futokui desu ka – What

subject are you poor at?

化 カ ka

ば(ける) ba(keru)

ば(かす) ba(kasu)

change 文化 bunka – culture

機械化 kikaika – mechanization

硬化 kouka – hardening, stiffening

悪化したの です か akka shita no

desu ka – Was it getting worse

生け花は 日本の 文化 です

ikebana wa nihon no bunka desu – Flower

arrangement is a part of Japanese culture

荷 カ ka

に ni

load the top is plant and the

bottom is “what”, and at

customs they always ask

what plants are in your

luggage (load)

荷物 nimotsu – baggage, luggage

手荷物 は いくつ 有ります か te

nimotsu wa ikutsu arimasu ka – How

many pieces of hand (carry-on) luggage

do you have?

果 カ ka

は(たす) ha(tasu)

fruit, end there’s big fruit in this

tree, which may end up 果物 kudamono – fruit

効果 kouka – effect, result

は(て) ha(te)

は(てる) ha(teru)

on the floor 結果 kekka - result

加 カ ka

くわ(える) kuwa(eru)

くわ(わる) kuwa(waru)

add this kanji looks like

katakana カ(ka) with a

box added to it

参加 san ka – participate, join

マイクは 昨日 練習に 参加 しな

かった maiku wa kinou renshuu ni sanka

shinakatta – Mike didn’t join the practice

yesterday

少し コショウを 加えたら どう

だろう sukoshi koshou o kuwaetara dou

darou – How about adding a touch of

pepper?

課 カ ka section, lesson talking 言う (iu) about

fruit 果物 (kudamono) in

lessons

放課後 houkago – after school

アンは 放課後 よく テニスを し

ます An wa houkago yoku tenisu o

shimasu – Ann often plays tennis after

school

可 カ ka possible, approve 可能性 kanousei – possibility

可愛い kawaii - cute

うまくいく可能性は 十分に ある

umaku iku kanousei wa juubun ni aru –

There is a good chance for success

過 カ ka

す(ぎる) su(giru)

す(ごす) su(gosu)

あやま(つ) ayama(tsu)

あやま(ち) ayama(chi)

excess, exceed looks like a robot moving

right, because it has

exceeded the barrier (on

the left)

過去 kako – past

飲み過ぎる nomisugiru – to drink to

excess

納豆を 食べ 過ぎました nattou o

tabe sugimashita – I ate too much nattou

それは ひど 過ぎる sore wa hido

sugiru – That is way too terrible

河 カ ka

かわ kawa

river what water? a river! (left

radical is water, right

radical is what)

運河 unga – canal

氷河は ゆっくり 動いて いる

hyouga wa yukkuri ugoite iru

仮 カ ka

かり kari

temporary 仮面 kamen – mask, disguise

価 カ ka value, price the right part looks like a

scale which you weigh

goods on to work out

their value

価値 かち - value, worth

価格 かかく - price, value

大統領は 彼の 仕事を公正に 評価

していない daitouryou wa kare no

shigoto o kousei ni hyouka shiteinai – The

President hasn’t evaluated his work fairly

この 車の 価格は とても 高い

kono kuruma no kakaku wa totemo takai –

The price of this car is very high

格 カク kaku

コウ kou

norm, status it is not the norm for a

man on a box to be

higher than a tree

価格 kakaku – price, value

合格 する to pass an exam

資格 qualifications, requirements

彼は 英語教師 としての 資格が

ある kare wa eigo kyoushi toshite no

shikaku ga aru – He is qualified as an

English teacher

解 カイ kai

ゲ ge

と(く) toku

explain, clarify the left part means

“angle” or horn so angles

help explain mathematics

and horns help explain

解説 する kaisetsu suru – to

clarify, explain, comment 読解 dokkai – reading comprehension

と(かす) tokasu

と(ける) tokeru

cows (bottom right) 理解 rikai – understanding,

comprehension

正解 seikai – correct (answer)

誤解 gokai – misunderstanding,

misconception

二つの問題が 未解決の ままで あ

った futatsu no mondai ga mikaiketsu no

mama de atta – Two problems remained

unsolved

靴 カ ka

くつ kutsu

shoes the left part means

leather and the right

means change, so think

of leather being changed

into shoes

靴磨き kutsumigaki – shoe polish

靴屋 kutsuya – shoe store

靴下 kutsu shita - socks

菓 カ ka confectionary the top is plant and the

bottom is fruit so think of

a plant bearing fruit for a

cake (confectionary)

お菓子 o-kashi – cakes, sweets

茶菓 cha ka – tea and sweets

絵 カイ kai

エ e

picture the left part is “thread”

糸(ito) and the right is

“meet” 会 (kai) – when

threads meet they make

an embroidered picture

絵本 e hon - picture (children’s) book

絵画 kaiga – picture, painting

絵師 e shi – painter, artist

その 絵画を 見たら おもしろかっ

た sono kaiga o mitara omoshirokatta – I

found the picture interesting

階 カイ kai floor,

rank,

two people going up an

escalator with their

luggage (hand rail on the

left) to the next floor

階段 kai dan – stairs

段階 dan kai – stage

step

改 カイ kai

あらた(める)

arata(meru)

あらた(まる)

arata(maru)

reform left side is self and right

is striking. zen monks

would strike each other

with bamboo rods to

reach enlightenment, thus

“I reform myself by

striking”

改革 kaikaku – reformation

改正 kaisei – revision, amendment

制度を 改めた seido o aratameta – they

changed the system

械 カイ kai device, machine 機械 kikai – machine, device

その 機械は 一日中 作動 してい

ます sono kikai wa ichinichijuu sadou

shite imasu – The machine operates all

day long

これを 右に 回せば 機械は 動き

ます kore o migi ni mawaseba kikai wa

ugokimasu – If you turn this to the right

and the machine will start

快 カイ kai

こころよ(い) kokoro(i)

pleasant when you “open up”

(right) your “heart” (left)

you feel pleasant

快楽 kairaku - pleasure

快速電車 kaisoku densha – express train

灰 カイ kai

はい hai

ash fire 火 (ka) under some

wood creates ash

灰色 hai iro – grey (ash colour)

灰皿 hai zara – ash tray (plate)

降灰 koukai – a fall of volcanic ash

皆 カイ kai

みな mina

みんな minna

all two people and all their

luggage going to meet

everybody

皆様 minasama – everyone (polite)

介 カイ kai meditate meditation takes us

higher 自己紹介 jikoshoukai – self-introduction

紹介 shoukai - introduce

害 ガイ gai harm a man jumping over a

mouth 口 (guchi) to

escape harm

災害 saigai – disaster

障害 shougai – obstacle, disaster

公害 kougai – pollution

殺害 satsugai – murder

たばこは 健康に 害が ある tabako

wa kankou ni gai ga aru – smoking is

dangerous to health

この 島では たいていの 蛇は 無

害で ある kono shima de wa taitei no

hebi wa mugai de aru – That island has

many harmless snakes

角 カク kaku

カドド kado

つの tsuno

angle,

horn

it looks like a horned fish

魚 (sakana)

三角 sankaku – triangle

角柱 kaku chuu – prism

互角 go kaku – equality, good match

そこの 角です よ soko no kado desu

yo – It’s at the corner

各 カク kaku

おのおの onoono

each each friend 友(tomo)

gets a chance to speak 口(guchi)

各駅 kaku eki – every station

各種 kaku shu – every kind, all sorts

各冊 kaku satsu – every book

この電車は 中野より 先は 各駅に

停車 する kono densha wa Nakano yori

saki wa kakueki ni teisha suru – This train

stops at every station from Nakano on

覚 カク kaku

おぼ(える) obo(eru)

remember, perceive,

wake up

you need to look 見る

(miru) in school 学

(gaku) to remember and

perceive things

この子は 物覚えが 早い kono ko wa

mono oboe ga hayai – The child is

learning quickly

ジムは 目覚めると 自分が部屋に一

人なのに 気が ついた jimu wa

mezameru to jibun ga heya ni hitori na no

ni ki ga tsuita – Jim awoke and found

himself alone in the room

確 カク kaku

たし(か) tashi(ka)

たし(かめる)

tashi(kameru)

certain かちまけの 確立は 五分五分 です

kachimake no kakuritsu wa gobu gobu

desu – The chances of winning or losing

are 50 / 50

固 コ ko

かた(まる) kata(maru)

かた(い) kata(i)

solid, firm, harden,

solidify, lump, mass,

sticky

as solid as a Christian

tombstone 固まり katamari – Katamari (PS2 game)

固体 kotai – solid, solid matter

固定 kotei – fixed, permanent

固有 koyuu – characteristic, inborn

頑固 ganko – stubborn

断固 danko – conclusive

この テーブルは がたつく。しっか

り 固定 させて くれ kono te-buru

wa gatatsuku. shikkari kotei sasete kure –

This table is shaky. Please make it firm

個 コ ko

individual,

general counter,

item

a person is counting solid

固まる (katamaru)

objects

個人 ko jin – indvidual (person)

個数 kosuu – number of articles

個室 koshitsu – private room

個々 koko – individual, separate

今日は りんごが 安い ので 二個

買いましょう kyou wa ringo ga yasui

node, ni ko kaimashou – Today because

apples are cheap let’s buy two

しゅるい 三個 ずつ ください

shurui sanko zutsu kudasai – Of each sort

please give me three

故 コ ko

ゆえ yue

old, former,

deceased,

incident, affair,

intentional,

reason, cause

the cause of the incident

was the deceased 故事 koji – tradition, historical fact, origin

故人 kojin – the deceased

事故 jiko – accident, trouble

故郷 kokyou – hometown

その事故に 対して 責任が あるの

は 君だ sono jiko ni taishite sekinin ga

aru no wa kimi da – It is you that are

responsible for the accident

「何故行かないの」「行きたくない

から さ」 [naze ikanai no][ikitakunai

kara sa] – Why aren’t you going? Because

I don’t want to

雇 コ ko

やと(う) yato(u)

employ, hire 日雇い hi yato(i) – day labourer

解雇 kaiko – discharge, dismiss

雇用 koyou – employ, hire, employment

船を 雇う fune o yatou – charter (hire)

a boat

呼 コ ko

よ(ぶ) yo(bu)

call, cry out a mouth (guchi) 口 is

shouting (crying out) and

scaring away the right

radical

呼吸 kokyuu – breathe, respiration

呼応 koou – agreement

呼ぶ yobu – call out to

枯 コ ko

か(らす) ka(rasu)

か(れる) ka(reru)

wither, dry up,

deplete, exhaust

when a tree 木 (ki) gets

old 古い (furui) it

withers and dries up

井戸が 枯れて しまった ido ga

karete shimatta – The well has dried up

誤 ゴ go

あやま(る) ayama(ru)

mistake a student at a desk with

his arm raised is speaking

言う (iu) and making a

mistake

誤解 gokai – misunderstanding

誤字 goji – misprint, wrong character

錯誤 sakugo – mistake

誤差 gosa - error

互 ゴ go

たが(い) taga(i)

equality this kanji has rotational

symmetry so either way

round it is equal

互角 gokaku – equality, good match

交互 kougo - mutually

お互いさまです o-tagai sama desu –

That makes two of us

交 コウ kou

カ(ウ) ka(u)

まじ(える) maji(eru)

まじ(る) maji(ru)

ま(ざる) ma(zaru)

ま(ぜる) ma(zeru)

exchange,

cross,

traffic,

take turns,

mix, shuffle

the lines cross like at an

intersection where cars

exchange

交渉 koushou – negotiation, bargaining

交換 koukan – exchange, interchange

交差点 kousaten – intersection

交際 kousai – association, friendship

交代 koutai – take turns

こちら 側からは だれが 交渉に

当たります か kochira gawa kara wa

dare ga koushou ni atarimasu ka – Who’s

going to negotiate for us?

この道路は 交通が 少ない kono

douro wa kou tsuu ga sukunai – Traffic is

light on this road

黄 コウ kou

き ki

こ ko

おう ou

yellow 黄色 ki iro – yellow

硫黄 iou – sulphur

この花は 黄色だが ほかの花は み

な青い kono hana wa kiiro da ga hoka no

hana wa mina aoi – This flower is yellow

but all the others are blue

公 コウ kou

おおやけ ooyake

public, state,

government

公園 kouen – park

公害 kougai – pollution

公認 kounin – official authorisation,

licence

主人公 shujinkou – master, hero, heroine

町の 公会堂は 人で いっぱい だ

machi no koukaidou wa hito de ippai da –

The town hall was full of people

幸 コウ kou

さち sachi

しあわ(せ) shiawa(se)

happy,

good fortune

looks like a yen ￥ which

brings good fortune and

happiness

幸運 kouun – good luck

幸福 koufuku – happiness

薄幸 hakkou – unhappiness

不幸 fukou – misfortune

向 コウ kou

む(く) mu(ku)

む(ける) mu(keru)

む(かう) mu(kau)

む(こう) mu(kou)

turn toward,

direction, orientation,

opposide side

similar to onaji 同 (same)

this kanji is moving in

the same direction

向上 koujou – advancement, progress

方向 houkou – direction, course

志向 shikou – intention, aim

趣向 shukou – idea, plan

船は 明日マニラに 向けて出発する

fune wa ashita Manira ni mukete

shuppatsu suru – The ship will set sail for

Manila tomorrow

公園は どちらの方向に あります

か kouen wa dochira no houkou ni

arimasu ka – Which direction is the park

in?

港 コウ kou

みなと minato

port 空港 kuukou - airport

港湾 kouwan – harbours (ports and bays)

漁港 gyokou – fishing port

あなたが いつ空港に着く か 教え

て 下さい anata ga itsu kuukou ni tsuku

ka oshiete kudasai – Let me know when

you will arrive at the airport

神戸は 港で 有名で ある Koube

wa minato de yuumei de aru – Kobe is

famous for its port

航 コウ kou navigate the left radical is “ship”

and the right radical

looks like a sailor

navigating the high seas

航空便 koukuubin – air mail

航海 koukai – voyage, ocean navigation

航路 kouro – route (sea, air)

航空券 koukuuken – plane ticket

その船は 出港した sono fune wa

shukkou shita – The ship set sail

侯 コウ kou

そうろう sourou

season, seasonal

weather

気候 kikou – climate, weather, season

兆候 choukou – symptom, sign, omen

天候 tenkou – weather

時候 jikou – season, time of the year

今年の冬は 気候が おだやか だ

kotoshi no fuyu wa kikou ga odayaka da –

We have a mild winter this year

康 コウ kou calm, healthy 健康 kenkou - health

たばこは 健康に害が ある tabako

wa kenkou ni ga aru – Smoking is

dangerous to health

海辺の 空気は きれいで 健康的だ

umibe no kuuki wa kirei de kenkouteki da

– The air by the sea is pure and healthy

効 コウ kou

きく kiku

effect what will the effect be

when the father 父

(chichi) uses his power

力 (chikara)

効果 kouka – result, effect

効率 kouritsu – efficiency

有効 yuu kou – effective, valid

無効 mu kou – invalidty, ineffectiveness

その効果が らわれるには 時間が

かかります sono kouka ga rawareru ni

wa jikan ga kakarimasu – It will be some

time before those effects make themselves

felt

厚 コウ kou

あつ(い) atsu(i)

kind,

thick

be kind to thick children

子 (ko) under the sun 日

(hi)

厚意 koui – kindness, favour

温厚 onkou – gentle, courteous

厚生 kousei – public welfare, public

health

濃厚 noukou – thick, dense, heavy

氷は 二インチの 厚さ だ koori wa

ni inichi no atsusa da – The ice is two

inches thick

ご好意に 対し 厚く お礼を 申し

上げます gokoui ni taishi atsuku orei o

moushi agemasu – I am deeply grateful

for your kindness

鉱 コウ kou

ore, mine the right radical looks a

little like wind 風 (kaze),

so a golden wind 金風

鉱物 koubutsu – mineral

金鉱 kinkou – gold ore, gold mine

採鉱 saikou - mining

whistles through the mine

構 コウ kou

かま(える) kama(eru)

かま(う) kama(u)

construct,

mind

a tree 木 (ki) is a source

of construction material

for a house with many

floors

構成 kousei – composition, formation

構造 kouzou – structure, construction

構想 kousou – plan, conception

この 文章の 構造がどうなって い

る か 分かります か kono bunshou

no kou zou ga dou natte iru ka

wakarimasu ka – Do you understand the

structure of this sentence?

講 コウ kou lecture someone is giving a

lecture about a house

with many floors (言う

iu = speech)

講義 kougi – lecture

購読 koudoku – subscription

講師 koushi – lecturer, speaker

休講 kyuukou – cancelled lecture

耕 コウ kou cultivate a three-pronged tree

standing next to a well in

a farmer’s cultivated

field

耕作 kousaku – cultivate, plow

耕地 kouchi - arable land, farmland

農場主は 一日中畑を 耕した

noujoushu wa ichinichijuu hatake o

tagayashita – The farmer plowed his field

all day

紅 コウ kou

べに beni

くれない kurenai

crimson use thread 糸 (ito) to lift

a bar for construction 工

(ku) or your face will go

crimson

深紅 shinku – crimson

紅白 kouhaku – red and white

紅潮 kou chou – blush, redden

紅玉 kougyoku – ruby

紅茶 koucha – black tea

降 コウ kou

お(りる) o(riru)

お(ろす) o(rosu)

ふ(る) fu(ru)

descend, fall, get off

(a bus)

someone is trying to

scale the wall (on the

left) but his ladder has

broken and he is falling

降りる oriru – get off (a bus)

降伏 koufuku – surrender, submission

下降 kakou – descent, fall, drop

雨が 降っています ame ga futteimasu

– It is raining

更 コウ kou

さら sara

ふ(ける) fu(keru)

ふ(かす) fu(kasu)

renew when you use something

使う (tskau) you must

renew it

更正 kousei – correction, revision,

rectification

更新 koushin – renew, renovate

更衣室 kouishitsu – changing room

変更 henkou – change, modification

荒 コウ kou

あら(い) ara(i)

あ(れる) a(reru)

あ(らす) a(rasu)

wild, desolate 荒廃 kouhai – desolation, waste, ruin

荒野 kouya – wilderness, the wilds,

wasteland

荒天 kouten – stormy weather

硬 コウ kou

かた(い) kata(i)

hard you can use a stone 石

(ishi) because it is hard

硬貨 kouka – coin, metallic money

硬化 kouka – hardening, stiffening

硬度 koudo – hardness

肯 コウ kou assent,

consent

the council gave consent

for a bus stop 止める

(tomeru) on the moon 月(tsuki)

肯定 koutei - affirmation

首肯 shukou – assent, consent

香 コウ kou

キョウ kyou

か ka

かお(り) kao(ri)

かお(る) kao(ru)

fragrance on a sunny day in the

forest you need deodrant

(fragrance)

香辛料 kou shinryou – spices, seasoning

香水 kousui – perfume

芳香 houkou – fragrance, aroma

香川県 kagawa ken – Kagawa prefecture

郊 コウ kou suburbs 郊外 kougai – suburbs, outskirts

郊野 kouya – suburban fields

号 ゴウ gou number, signal, sign you can see the number 5

in this kanji 暗号 angou – code

号令 gourei – order, command

信号 shingou – traffic signal (light)

番号 bangou - number

電話番号 denwa bangou –

telephone number

谷 コク koku

たに tani

valley this is a hut in a valley

and rocks are falling onto

it

峡谷 kyou koku – gorge, valley, canyon

その谷で金が 見つかったと いう

うわさが ある sono tani de kin ga

mitsukatta to iu uwasa ga aru – It is

rumoured that gold has been found in that

valley

告 コク koku

つ(げる) tsu(geru)

notify a man is jumping over a

desk rushing to give you

the piece of paper that

notifies you not to forget

this kanji

告白 koku haku – confession,

acknowledgement

広告 koukoku – advertisement

告知 kokuchi – notify, announce

忠告 chuukoku – advice, warning

新聞広告を 見て来ました shinbun

koukoku o mite kimashita – I have come

in response to your ad in the paper

刻 コク koku

き(ざむ) kiza(mu)

carve, engrave 刻印 kokuin – carved seal, stamp

時刻 jikoku – time, hour

深刻 shinkoku - serious

定刻 teikoku – regular (appointed) time

革 カク kaku

かわ kawa

leather,

reform

this looks like a fancy

staff that they may use in

government ceremonies

when reforming acts and

laws

改革 kaikaku – reformation

変革 henkaku – change, reform

拡 カク kaku

コウ kou

ひろ(がる) hiro(garu)

ひろ(げる) hiro(geru)

enlarge by felling trees 木 (ki)

we can enlarge the space

広い (hiroi)

拡大 kakudai – enlargement, expansion

彼は 研究の 対象を 拡大 した

kare wa kenkyuu no taishou o kakudai

shita – He expanded the focus of his

research

骨 コツ kotsu

ほね hone

bone this kanji looks like a

skeleton and you can see

his bones

骨髄 kotsuzui – (bone) marrow, main

point

骨肉 kotsu niku – flesh and blood

骨格 kokkaku – frame, physique, skeleton

筋骨 kinkotsu – muscle and bones,

physique

鉄骨 tekkotsu – steel frame

込 こ(む) ko(mu) into, be crowded when many people enter

入る (hairu) a place gets

crowded

送料込み sou ryou komi – shipping

(charges) included

いつも駐車場が 込んでいます itsumo

chuushajou ga kondeimasu – The parking

lot is always crowded

根 コン kon

ね ne

root (math), root

(chemistry),

perserverance

根気 konki – perserverance, patience,

energy

根拠 konkyo – grounds, basis, authority

根本 konpon – nasis, foundation, origin

球根 kyuukon – bulb

大根 daikon – Japanese radish

較 カク kaku

コウ kou

くら(べる) kura(beru)

compare try to compare a car (left)

with a father (right) 比較 hikaku – comparison

私は 大学院で 比較文学を 勉強し

た watashi wa daigakuin de

hikakubungaku o benkyou shita – I

studied Comparative Literature in

graduate school

混 コン kon

ま(じる) ma(jiru)

ま(ざる) ma(zaru)

ま(ぜる) ma(zeru)

mix 混雑 konzatsu – confusion, disorder,

congestion

混戦 konsen – brawl, confused fight

混乱 konran – disorder, chaos

混合 kongou – mixing, mixture

油と 水を混ぜる 事は出来ない

abura to mizu o mazeru koto wa dekinai –

You cannot mix oil and water

国家主義と 愛国心とを 混同しては

ならない kokkashugi to aikokushin to o

kondou shite wa naranai – Nationalism is

not to be confused with patriotism

困 コン kon

こま(る) koma(ru)

be in trouble 困難 konnan – difficulty, trouble,

hardship

困惑 konwaku – embarrassment,

confusion

困窮 konkyuu – destitution, poverty

貧困 hinkon – poverty, lack, shortage

困っている komatteiru – be in trouble

婚 コン kon marry a woman at what looks

like an altar waiting to

marry

婚約 konyaku - engagement

結婚 kekkon – marriage

婚姻 konin – marriage

離婚 rikon – divorce

再婚 saikon – second marriage

差 サ sa

さ(す) sa(su)

difference, remainder

(math),

rise (of water)

what is left 左 (hidari)

behind is the difference

or remainder

交差点 kousaten – intersection

差額 sagaku – balance, difference

差別 sabetsu – discrimination

大差 taisa – big difference

この浅い湾で 潮が 早く差す kono

asai wan de shio ga hayaku sasu – In this

shallow bay the tide comes up quickly

査 サ sa look into, investigate,

inspect

the bottom radical looks

like an eye 目 (me) and it

is inspecting a tree 木

(ki)

査察 sasatsu – inspection, investigation

査定 satei – assessment, audit

検査 kensa – inspection, examination

調査 chousa – investigation, examination,

survey

砂 サ sa

すな suna

sand sand is made up of many

little 少し (sukoshi)

stones 石 (ishi)

砂糖 satou – sugar

砂漠 sabaku – desert

砂丘 sakyuu – sand dune

砂場 sunaba - sandbox

座 ザ za

すわ(る) suwa(ru)

seat, sit two people 人 (hito) are

sitting on the earth 土

(do) under a tent.

座席 zaseki – seat

正座 seiza – sit straight

座標 zahyou – coordinates

才 サイ sai talent,

looks like a child

dropping her baton 天才 tensai – genius

才能 sainou – talent, ability

age suffix during a talent contest 何才 nan sai – how old (of a person)

自分の才能を 生かせる ような 仕

事を したい jibun no sainou o ikaseru

you na shigoto o shitai – I want to do

work that makes use of my talents

細 サイ sai

ほそ(い) hoso(i)

こま(か) koma(ka)

こま(かい) koma(kai)

slender, minute thread 糸(ito) in a field

田 (den) is a tiny, minute,

slender object

細菌 saikin – bacteria, germ

細工 saiku – work, craftmanship

細部 saibu – details

細君 saikun – wife

明細 meisai - particulars, details

肉を 食べる前に 細かく 切るべき

です niku o taberu mae ni komakaku

kirubeki desu – You should cut up your

meat before you eat it

祭 サイ sai

まつ(る) matsu(ru)

まつ(り) matsu(ri)

festival 祭日 sai jitsu – national holiday, festival

day

近くに お祭りを やって いる 町

が あります か chikaku ni omatsuri o

yatte iru machi ga arimasu ka – Near here

are there any towns with festivals?

体育祭は どう でした か taiikusai

wa dou deshita ka – How did you do on

sports day?

最 サイ sai most the sun is the most tall of

all the radicals in this

kanji

最高 saikou – the hightest, supreme

最終 saishuu – last, final

最悪 saiaku – worst case, the worst

最後 saigo – the last, the end

最低 saitei – lowest, minimum

経験は 最良の 教師で ある keiken

wa sairyou no kyoushi de aru –

Experience is the best teacher

再 サイ sai

サ sa

ふたた(び) futata(bi)

another time, again 再来週 saraishuu – week after next

再開 saikai – reopening, resumption

再三 saisan – again and again, repeatedly

再婚 saikon – remarriage

すぐに 再発行 出来ます か sugu

ni saihakkou dekimasu ka – Can you

reissue them right away?

額 ガク gaku

ひたい hitai

amount,

forehead

this kanji shows 100 百

(hyaku) which can be a

large amount

差額 sagaku – balance, difference, margin

半額 hangaku – half-price

あなたの 計画は 多額の 金を 必

要と します anata no keikaku wa

tagaku no kane o hitsuyou to shimasu –

Your plan requires a large amount of

money

活 カツ katsu

い(かす) i(kasu)

active, life

a man skiing on water

has an active lifestyle 生活 seikatsu – life, lifestyle

活動 katsu dou – action, activity

割 カツ katsu

わ(る) wa(ru)

わ(り) wari

わ(れる) wa(reru)

さ(く) sa(ku)

divide this kanji contains part of

‘separate’ 別 (betsu) to

divide up this character

割引 waribiki – discount, reduction

一割 ichiwari – 10 percent

時間割 jikanwari – timetable

我が 家の 家計は 収入の 割りに

支出が 多すぎる wa ga ya no kakei wa

shuunyuu no wari ni shishutsu ga

oosugiru – Our family spends too much

for the income we have

感 カン kan sense, feel you use your heart 心

(kokoro) for feeling

敏感 binkan – sensitivity

直感 chokkan – intuition

彼は 直感で 彼女が 嘘を ついて

いると わかった kare wa chokkan de

kanojo ga uso o tsuiteiru to wakatta – His

intuition told him she was lying

管 カン kan

くだ kuda

pipe,

control

looks like two

controlling eyes looking

at the kanji for

government 官 (kan)

血管 kekkan – blood vessel

管理 kanri – control, management

試験管 shikenkan – test tube

関 カン kan

せき seki

concern,

barrier

Mr Yen is is concerned

that you havn’t paid so

he’s put up a barrier

関西 Kansai – Kansai (area including

Osaka and Kyoto)

関節 kansetsu – joints (knee, elbow etc.)

関連 kanren – relation, connection

給料は 労働者の 年齢との 関連で

異なってくる kyuuryou wa roudousha

no nenrei tono kanren de kotonattekuru –

Wages change in relation to the worker’s

age

観 カン kan view the kanji to see 見る

(miru) is in this

character, which is like

view

観光 kankou - sightseeing

観察 kansatsu – observation, survey

彼は 経済 観念の ない男だ kare

wa keizai kannen no nai otoko da – He is

a man with no financial sense

完 カン kan complete looks a little like sell 売

る (uru) which is

completing a transaction

完了 kanryou – completion

完璧 kanpeki – perfect

五日 たてば 仕事が 完了 する

だろう itsuka tateba shigoto ga kanryou

suru darou – The work should be

complete in five days

官 カン kan government looks like a filing cabinet

that they use in

government offices

器官 kikan - organ

警察官 keisatsukan - policemen

警官 keikan - policeman

妻 サイ sai

つま tsuma

wife a woman 女 (onna)

makes a complicated wife

愛妻弁当 ai sai bentou – lunchbox

packed with love by ones wife

妻子 saishi – ones wife and children

妻帯者 saitaisha – a married man

恐妻家 kyousaika – a hen-pecked

husband

際 サイ sai

きわ kiwa

verge,

occasion

a festival 祭り(matsuri)

by the verge is a big

occasion

交際 kousai – association, friendship

際限 saigen – limits, ends, bounds

実際 jissai – true, actual, real

水際 mizu giwa – beach, waterside

際どい kiwadoi – risky

彼が そう言うの を 実際に 聞き

ました kare ga sou iu no o jissai ni

kikimashita – I actually heard him say that

慣 カン kan

な(れる) na(reru)

な(らす) na(rasu)

habit this kanji looks like a

hobbit but it’s actually a

habit

慣習 kanshuu – normal custom

習慣 shuukan – custom, habit, manners

その習慣は 日本 独特の もの だ

sono shuukan wa nihon dokutoku no

mono da -

海部氏は 人前で 演説する ことに

慣れて いる kaifushi wa hitomae de

enzetsu suru koto ni narete iru – Mr Kaifu

is used to making speeches in public

刊 カン kan publish, carve these radicals look like

carving tools used to

make and publish old

newspaper

週刊誌 shuukanshi – weekly publication

朝刊 choukan – morning edition of a

newspaper

これは 日刊新聞 です kore wa

nikkan shinbun desu – This is a daily

newspaper

採 サイ sai

とる to(ru)

pick, gather picking fruit from a tree

木 (ki), or gathering rice

米 (bei)

採掘 saikutsu – mining

採集 saishuu – collecting, gathering

採点 saiten – marking, grading, rating

伐採 bassai – cut down, fell a tree

済 サイ sai

ザイ zai

す(む) su(mu)

す(ます) su(masu)

settle, relieve 返済 hensai – repay, reimburse

救済 kyuusai – relieve, help, save

経済 keizai – economy, economics

彼は 経済 観念の ない 男だ kare

wa keizai kannen no nai otoko da – He is

a man with no financial sense

歳 サイ sai

セイ sei

year, age suffix 歳月 saigetsu – time

歳末 saimatsu – year end

歳入 sainyuu – revenue, annual income

何歳 nan sai – what age (of a person)

材 ザイ zai timber, material two trees, one is partially

felled for building 材木 zaimoku – logs, timber

石材 sekizai – building stone

material 人材 jinzai – (person) of talent, capable

person

素材 sozai – material, subject matter

この 材料は だれに とっても 役

に 立つと 思う kono zairyou wa dare

ni tottemo yaku ni tatsu to omou – I think

this material is of benefit to everyone

在 ザイ zai

あ(る) a(ru)

exist, stay 在庫 zaiko – stock, stockpile

在学 zaigaku – being in school

在米 邦人 zaibei houjin – Japanese

living in the US

不在 fuzai – absence

現在の 首相は その式に 出席 し

て はいなかった genzai no shushou wa

sono shiki ni shusseki shite wainakatta –

The present Prime Minister was not

present at the ceremony

財 ザイ zai

サイ sai

wealth you can see a part of buy

買う (kau) in this kanji,

implying wealth

財源 zaigen – revenue / financial resource

財産 zaisan – property, fortune, wealth

財布 saifu - wallet

罪 ザイ zai

つみ tsumi

crime the gap in the middle is

the hall and on the sides

are cells, which people

are put into when they

commit a crime

軽犯罪 keihanzai – light offence (legal)

罪悪 zaiaku – crime, sin, vice

罪人 zainin – criminal, sinner

無罪 muzai – not guilty, innocent

有罪 yuuzai – guilt

謝罪 shazai - apology

咲 さ(く) sa(ku) bloom this could be a flower in

bloom outside a cave きれいな 花が 咲いて います

kireina hana ga saite imasu – Beautiful

flowers are in bloom

桜の 花が 咲く sakura no hana ga

saku – the cherry trees are blooming

話しに 花が 咲いた hanashi ni hana

ga saita – the conversation became

animated

昨 サク saku yesterday, last part of make 作る

(tsukuru) + day 日(nichi)

= I made something

yesterday

昨日 saku jitsu – yesterday

昨日 kinou – yesterday

昨年 sakunen – last year

昨夜 sakuya – last night

マイクは 昨日練習に 参加 しなか

った Maiku wa kinou renshuu ni sanka

shinakatta – Mike didn’t join the practice

yesterday

殺 サツ satsu

サイ sai

セツ setsu

ころ(す) koro(su)

kill the X by the tree 木 (ki)

is where the man was

killed

殺意 satsui – intent to kill

殺害 satsugai – murder, killing

殺人 satsujin – murder

殺人犯 satsujinhan - murderer

殺菌 sakkin – seterilisation

自殺 jisatsu – suicide

刷 サツ satsu

す(る) su(ru)

print like publish 刊 (kan) this

kanji has tools for

printing, symbolised by

the big ‘P’

刷新 sasshin - reform, renovation,

revision

印刷 insatsu – printing

縮刷 shuku satsu – printing in reduced

size

この本は 来年 印刷 される でし

ょう kono hon wa rainen insatsu sareru

deshou – This book will probably be

printed next year

札 サツ satsu

ふだ fuda

tag 千円札 senen satsu – 1000 yen note

札束 satsutaba – bundle of banknotes

改札 kaisatsu – examining (checking)

tickets

二千円札を 持っています か nisen

en satsu o motte imasu ka – Do you have

a 2000 yen note?

冊 サツ satsu

サク saku

card, volume, book 冊子 sasshi – booklet, pamphlet

別冊 bessatsu – separate volume, extra

issue

各冊 kaku satsu – each book (volume,

copy)

雑 ザツ zatsu

ゾウ zou

rough, mixed trees 木 (ki) chopped up

with power 力 (riki) are

rough and mixed in size

混雑 kon zatsu – confusion, disorder,

congestion

雑音 zatsuon – noise, jamming,

interference

雑誌 zasshi – magazine

雑学 zatsu gaku – wide knowledge

複雑 fuku zatsu - complicated

皿 さら sara plate looks like a drainer for

plates on a sideboard 灰皿 hai zara – ash tray

最初の皿 saisho no sara – first course,

starter

その 男の子は たちまち 皿を か

らっぽに した sono otoko no ko wa

tachimachi sara o karappo ni shita – The

boy had the dish empty in a moment

算 サン san calculate to work out the answer to

a question 質問

(shitsumon) you need to

calculate

誤算 gosan – miscalculation,

misjudgement

算出 sanshutsu – computation, calculation

暗算 anzan – mental arithmetic

予算 yosan – estimate, budget

５足す１０の 足し算は やさしい 5

たす 10 no tashizan wa yasashii – It is

easy to add 5 to 10

散 サン san

ち(る) chi(ru)

ち(らす) chi(rasu)

ち(らかす) chi(rakasu)

ち(らかる) chi(rakaeru)

scatter 散歩 sanpo – walking, a stroll

解散 kaisan – breakup, dispersion

分散 bunsan – dispersion, divergence,

variance

天気が よかった ので 散歩が 出

来ました tenki ga yokatta node sanpo ga

dekimashita – Because it was good

weather I was able to go for a walk

集会は 九時に 散会 した shuukai

wa kuji ni sankai shita – The meetin broke

up at 9 o’clock

参 サン san

まい(る) mai(ru)

participate, go to pray 参加 sanka – participate

参考 sankou – reference, consultation

参拝 sanpai – worship, visit a temple

古参 kosan – senior, old-timer, veteran

新参 shinzan – newcomer

私の 意見 では 勝つ こと より

参加 する ことに 意義が ある

watashi no iken dewa katsu koto yori

sanka suru koto ni igi ga aru – In my

opinion participation is more important

than winning

賛 サン san approve, praise looks like two people in

the background are

cheering and praising the

radical at the front

賛成 sansei – approval, agreement,

support

賛美 sanbi – praise, admiration

賛同 sandou – approval, endorsement

自賛 jisan – self-praise

画賛 gasan – legend (text) on a chart

山田さんの意見に 全く 賛成だ

Yamada-san no iken ni mattaku sansei da

– I am in complete agreement with Mr

Yamada

残 ザン zan

のこ(る) noko(ru)

のこ(す) noko(su)

remain, ruthless the タ is holding a big

hammer and is chasing

the right-hand radical

because it is cruel and

ruthless

残金 zankin – balance, surplus

残酷 zankoku – cruel, ruthless

残高 zandaka – balance, remainder

残念 zannen – regret, disappointment

残業 zangyou – overtime

上司に 残業 させられた ん だよ

joushi ni zangyou saserareta n da yo – My

boss made me work overtime

糸 シ shi

いと ito

thread, string this could be a ball of

yarn (thread) 一糸 isshi – a thread, a stitch

毛糸 keito – wollen yarn

綿糸 menshi – cotton yarn

糸口 itoguchi – beginning, first step, clue

歯 シ shi

は ha

tooth looks like a tooth that has

plaque on it, with the rot

at the top

歯科医 shikai – dentist

乳歯 nyuushi – baby teeth

永久歯 eikyuu shi – permanent teeth

歯磨き ha migaki – toothpaste, brushing

one’s teeth

指 シ shi

ゆび yubi

finger, point a baby on a stool is

pointing out something to

his mummy

指示 shiji – indication, pointing out

指導 shidou – guidance, instruction

指定 shitei – appointment, authorization

指定する shitei suru – to specify

指摘 shiteki – pointing out

指紋 shimon – fingerprint

親指 oya yubi – thumb

足の指 ashi no yubi – toe

指圧 shiatsu - accupressure

史 シ shi history a wizened old man with

whiskers is talking about

history

史学 shigaku – history (field of study)

史料 shiryou – historical materials

(records)

歴史 rekishi – history

日本史 nihon shi – Japanese history

中国の 歴史は 日本の 歴史 より

古い です chuugoku no rekishi wa

nihon no rekishi yori furui desu – The

history of China is older than that of Japan

司 シ shi

つかさど(る)

tsukasado(ru)

officiate 司会 shikai – presiding, officiating

司令 shirei - command

司令官 shireikan – commander

上司 jyoushi – superior officer

寿司 sushi – raw fish and rice

支 シ shi

ささ(える) sasa(eru)

branch, support under the gound there are

supporting roots 支持 shiji – support, backing

支店 shiten – branch (office, store)

支給 shikyuu – provision, supply,

payment

支度 shitaku – arrangement, preparation

資 シ shi resources part of buy 買う(kau) is

here, because you have to

buy resources

資格 shikaku – qualificatinos,

requirements

資源 shigen – resources

資金 shikin – funds, capital

資産 shisan – property, fortune

資本 shihon – funds, capital

簡 カン kan simple it is simple for two

pidgeons to get past a

gate 門 (mon)

簡単 kantan – simple

簡単でした kantan dehita – it was easy

簡潔 kanketsu – simplicity

この本棚は 組み立てが 簡単だ

kono hondana wa kumitate ga kantan da –

This bookshelf is easy to assemble

干 カン kan

ほ(す) ho(su)

dry looks like a spike you

drive deep into the

ground to find water

when it is dry

干渉 kanshou – interference, intervention

欄干 rankan – handrail, bannister

巻 カン kan

ま(く) ma(ku)

ま(き) ma(ki)

roll up, volume the backwards ‘S’ shape

at the bottom is a strip

being rolled up

巻き maki – Maki sushi (rolled)

巻頭 kantou – opening page of a book

鉢巻 hachi maki - headband

看 カン kan

み(る) mi(ru)

watch, care for looks like a big hand 手

(te) caring for a baby in a

cot

看護婦 kangofu – nurse

看板 kanban - signboard

甘 カン kan

あま(い) ama(i)

あま(える) ama(eru)

あま(やかす)

ama(yakasu)

sweet looks like a big tongue

tasting sweet things 甘受 kanju – submission to, putting up

with

甘露 kanro – nectar

君は その結果を 甘受 すべき だ

kimi wa sono kekka o kanju subeki da –

You should abide by the consequences

汗 カン kan

あせ ase

sweat the stick man needs a

shower (water, left

radical) because he is

sweaty

汗顔 kangan – ashamed

汗腺 kansen – sweat gland

換 カン kan

か(える) ka(eru)

か(わる) ka(waru)

exchange the top of fish 魚 (sakan)

can be seen and four 四

(yon) is below, so

perhaps four fish are

being exchanged for a

tree

交換 koukan – exchange, interchange

換気 kanki – ventilation

換算 kansan – conversion, evaluate

転換 tenkan – convert

彼は 何で も お金に 換算 して

しまう kare wa nan de mo okane ni

kansan shite shimau – He thinks of

everything in terms of money

乾 カン kan

か(わく) ka(waku)

か(わかす) ka(wakasu)

dry a car 車 (kuruma) has

‘Z’ero petrol left so it is

dry

乾杯 kanpai – cheers (toast)

乾燥 kansou – dry, arid

肌が 乾燥 して います hada ga

kansou shite imasu – my skin is dry

丸 カン gan

まる maru

まる(い) maru(i)

まる(める) maru(meru)

round 弾丸 dangan – bullet

日の丸 hinomaru – The Japanese Flag

環 カン kan

わ wa

ring 環境 kankyou – environment,

circumstances

環状線 kanjyousen – loop line

枝 シ shi

えだ eda

branch tree 木 (ki) + branch 支

(shi(sha – company

branch)) = tree branch

枝葉末節 shiyoumassetsu – branches and

leaves, unimportant details

枝川 eda gawa – branch of a river

枝豆 edamame – green soy beans

楊枝 youji - toothpick

師 シ shi master looks like government 官

(kan) and market 市

(ichi), and the

government is the master

of the economy (market)

講師 koushi – lecturer, speaker

師匠 shishou – master, teacher

医師 ishi – doctor

教師 kyoushi – teacher, instructor

技師 gishi – engineer

絵師 eshi – painter

経験は 最良の 教師で ある keiken

wa sairyou no kyoushi de aru –

Experience is the best teacher

JLPT Level 1 Kanji

亜 ア a sub-, Asia 亜細亜 ajia - Asia

アジア – Asia (usual spelling)

哀 アイ ai

あわ(れ) awa(re)

helpless, sorrow,

misery

垢を落とす aka o otosu – Wash off the

dirt

挨 アイ ai greeting, salutation 挨拶 aisatsu – greetings

挨拶状 aisatsu jyou – greeting card

垢 コウ kou

あか aka

dirt, filth soil 土 (do) + ‘F’ilth are

dirty

握 アク aku

にぎ(る) nigi(ru)

grasp, seize, mould,

sushi

握手 akushu - handshake

憧 ショウ shou

あこが(れ) akoga(re)

yearning, longing,

aspiration

憧れる akogareru – long for, admire

扱 あつか(う) atsuka(u) handle, deal with,

treat

あつかい atsukai – treatment, service

或 ワク waku

ある aru

certain, some 或いは aruiha – or, possibly

或る日 aru hi – one day... (start of a

story)

威 イ i

take 威嚇 ikaku – menace, threat

威厳 igen - dignity

為 イ i

ため tame

good, advantage,

benefit,

in order to, because

of

looks like a tank which

gives you a huge

advantage and benefit

為さる nasaru – to do (honouriffic)

なす nasu – to do

尉 ジョウ jyou

い i

jailer, military rank 大尉 taii - captain

中尉 chuui – lieutenant, first lieutenant

少尉 shoui – second lieutenant

遺 イ i

ユイ yui

のこ(す) noko(su)

leave, bequeath,

reserve

looks like a person sitting

in a seat reserving it for

someone

遺言 yuigon - will, testament

碗 ワン wan bowl shares a radical with sand

砂 (suna) and bowls can

be made from sand

茶碗 chawan – rice bowl, teacup

惑 ワク waku

まど(う) mado(u)

beguile (trickery),

bewilder

this kanji beguiles you

into thinking about

emotions 心 (shin)

困惑 konwaku - embarassment, confusion

惑星 waku sei – planets

誘惑 yuu waku - temptation

維 イ i support, fasten,

rope, fibre

use a thread 糸 (ito) to

make a net for support

維新 ishin – restoration

維持 iji - upkeep

慰 イ i

なぐさ(める)

nagusa(meru)

なぐさ(む) nagusa(mu)

comfort, consolation,

amusement

a military officer has

feelings 心 (shin) so he

needs comfort

慰安 ian – consolation, comfort

慰謝 isha – consolation, solace

慰問 imon – visit, to give comfort (to

those in hospital)

慰労金 iroukin – bonus, reward

老人ホームを 慰問する roujin ho-mu

o imon suru – Visit an old people’s home

緯 イ i horizontal the thread 糸 (ito) looks

vertical but wrong 違う

(chigau) – it is horizontal

緯度 ido - latitude

侍 ジ ji

さむらい samurai

samurai a samurai is a person (left

radical) who is special 特七人の 侍を 見ました か shichi

nin no samurai o mimashita ka – Did you

(toku) see 7 Samurai?

Miscellaneous Kanji

当 トウ tou

あ(たる) a(taru)

this,

hit,

right, appropriate,

himself

hit yourself to learn this

kanji – it is everywhere 本当 hontou – really

本当ですか hontou desu ka – really?

当駅 toueki – this railway station

当時 touji – old times, those days

当面 toumen (no) – present, immediate

当人 tounin – the person in question

当世風 tousei(fuu) – up to date, current,

(in fashion)

当用 touyou – daily use

当座 touza – the time being

当然 touzen – natural, rightful

Verbs Kanji

浴 ヨク yoku

あ(びる) a(biru)

あ(びせる) a(biseru)

bathe, pour water radical on the left

and it looks like the hut is

bathing (water is pouring

onto it)

浴びる abiru – bathe, pour

浴びせる abiseru – to throw

シャワーを浴びる shawa- o abiru – to

take a shower

日光浴 nikkouyoku – to sunbathe

揚 ヨウ you

あ(げる) a(geru)

hoist,

fry,

land

揚げる ageru – to fry

旗を揚げる hata o ageru – hoist a flag

凧を揚げる tako o ageru – fly a kite

乗客たちは 船から陸に 揚がった

joukyaku tachi wa fune kara riku ni agatta

– The passengers landed from a ship

洗 セン sen

あら(う) a(rau)

wash 洗う arau – to wash

洗濯 sentaku – washing

食事の前に 手を洗いなさい shokuji

no mae ni te o arai nasai – Wash (clean)

your hands before a meal

遊 ユウ yuu

あそ(ぶ) aso(bu)

play 遊ぶ asobu – to play

遊園地 yuuenchi – a recreation ground

子供たちが 砂場で 遊んで います

kodomotachi ga sunaba de asonde imasu –

Children are playing in the sandpit

選 セン sen

えら(ぶ) era(bu)

choose, elect 選ぶ erabu – to choose

選挙 senkyo – election

好きな数を一つ 選んで ください

sukina kazu o hitotsu erande kudasai –

Please select one of your favourite

numbers

増 ゾウ zou

ふ(える) fu(eru)

ま(す) ma(su)

increase 増える fueru - to proliferate, increase

川の水かさが増してきた kawa no mizu

kasa ga masite kita – The river is rising

頑張

る

がんば(る) ganba(ru)

hold out, do one’s

best

頑張る ganbaru – to try one’s best

頑張れ！ganbare! – Come on / Keep

going!

履 り ri

は(く) ha(ku)

put on (for feet),

fulfilment

履く haku - to put on (shoes or socks)

契約を履行する keiyaku o rikou suru –

to execute a contract

払 フツ futsu

はら(う) hara(u)

dust,

pay

払う harau – to pay for, to dust

彼女は机の上の埃を払った kanojo wa

tsukue no ue no hokori o haratta – She

dusted the desktop

お金の無い人のために、別の支払い

方法が あります okane no nai hito no

tame ni, betsu no siharai houhou ga

arimasu – There is an alternate payment

method

拾 シュウ shuu

ひろ(う) hiro(u)

pick up, flag down,

ten

拾う hirou – find, pick up, flag down (a

taxi)

道で財布を 拾った miti de saifu o

hirotta – I found a wallet on the road

居 きょ kyo

い(る) i(ru)

exist, live, house 居る iru – to exist (animate objects)

居住者 kyojuusha – resident

何にかが この部屋に 居るのを 感

じる – I feel something being in this

room.

誰か、そこに 居るのですか？dareka,

sokoni iru no desu ka – Is there anybody

in there?

痛 ツウ tsuu

いた(い) itai

いた(める) ita(meru)

painful, hurt 痛める itameru – to afflict, hurt

足が痛い ashi ga itai – I have sore feet

足を 痛めた ashi o itameta – I injured

my foot

言 ゲン gen

ゴン gon

こと koto

い(う) i(u)

say, tell, meaning,

language, statement

言う iu – to say, tell

人の言葉お 理解する 能力が ある

ゴリラ – a gorilla that has the ability to

understand human language

遺言が あれば 聞こう yuigon ga

areba kikou – If you have your last words,

I’ll listen

被 ヒ hi

かぶ(る) kabu(ru)

こうむ(る) koumuru

suffer,

put on (for head)

被る kaburu – put on (headwear)

被る koumuru – to suffer

限 ゲン gen

かぎ(る) kagi(ru)

limit, restrict 限る kagiru – to be limited to

噛 か(む) ka(mu) bite, chew 噛む kamu – to bite, chew

勝 ショウ shou

か(つ) ka(tsu)

win, surpass 勝つ katsu – to win, defeat an opponent

勝る masaru – to be superior to

ま(さる) masa(ru) 勝ちました か kachimashita ka – Did

you win?

変 ヘン hen

か(わる) ka(waru)

change, be different

(from normal state)

変わる kawaru – to change

変更 henkou – change, modification

変革 henkaku – change, reform

変な hen(na) – odd, clumsy

鍛 タン tan

きた(える) kita(eru)

train, forge 鍛える kitaeru – train, strengthen

(oneself)

呉 く(れる) kureru give (indicates a

closeness to a person

as opposed to あげる

which states cold

fact)

呉れる kureru – give, do a favour for

私の妹が 彼に 本を 呉れた

watashi no imouto ga kare ni hon o kureta

– My sister gave him a book.

曲 キョク kyoku

ま(がる) ma(garu) /

ま(げる) ma(geru)

music,

curve, turn

曲がる magaru – turn (around a corner)

曲げる mageru – twist

そこで、道が 右へ曲がっている –

soko de, miti ga migi e magatte iru –

There the road curves to the right

負 フ fu

ま(かす) ma(kasu)

ま(ける) ma(keru)

お(う) o(u)

negative

(maths/physics),

lose,

carry (an object),

take (responsibility)

負かす makasu – to defeat, beat (make an

opponent lose)

負ける makeru – to lose

負う ou – to take, to assume

この件に ついては、私が責任を 負

います kono ken ni tsuite wa watashi ga

sekinin o oimasu – I’ll take responsibility

for this matter

召し

上が

る

め(し)あ(がる)

me(shi)a(garu)

eat (polite espression) 召し上がる meshiagaru – eat (polite)

磨 マ ma

みが(く) miga(ku)

brush, polish, grind,

improve, refine

磨く migaku – brush (teeth), polish (a

skill)

技を磨く waza o migaku – to improve

one’s skills

観 カン kan

み(る) mi(ru)

watch, see 観る miru - to watch

観賞 kanshou – enjoy seeing (beautiful

charm of a thing)

芝居を見る sibai o miru – to see a play

診 シン shin

み(る) mi(ru)

examine 診る miru – to examine

貰 もら(う) mora(u) get, be given, receive,

take (a wife), adopt (a

child),

win,

pick up (disease)

貰う morau – to receive

父から辞書を 貰った chichi kara jisho

o moratta – I was given a dictionary from

my father

かれは あの器量 よしを 嫁に 貰

った kare wa ano kiryou yoshi o yome ni

moratta – He married that good-looking

woman

迎 ゲイ gei

むか(える) muka(eru)

meet, greet 迎える mukaeru – to meet, greet (from

the airport)

迎春 geishun – Happy New Year

飛行場で 彼を 迎えた hikoujou de

kare o mukaeta – I went to meet him at

the airport

直 チョク choku

ジキ jiki

ただちに tada(chini)

なお(す) nao(su)

なお(る) nao(ru)

straight

in a moment, soon

fix, repair

直す naosu – to fix, repair

空港へ 直接 行く kuukou e

chokusetsu iku – I went to meet him at the

airport

眠 ミン min

ねむ(る) nemu(ru)

sleep, sleepy 眠る nemuru – to sleep

睡眠 sleep, slumber

九時に 眠った ku ji ni numutta – I

went to sleep at nine

寝 シン shin

ね(る) ne(ru)

lie down, go to bed,

have sex

寝る neru – to sleep, to go to bed, to lie

down

就寝時間 shuushinn jikan – time for bed

あなたは いつも何時に 寝ます か anata wa itsumo nan ji ni nemasu ka –

What time do you usually go to bed?

飲 イン in

飲(む) no(mu)

drink, swallow,

take (medicine)

飲む nomu – to drink

飲料水 inryousui – drinking water

乗 ジョウ jou

の(る) no(ru)

の(せる) no(seru)

step onto, get on,

ride, be carried,

pick up, give a lift to,

乗る noru – to get on (a bus)

乗せる noseru – to pick up, to give a lift

乗車券 joushaken – a (railway) ticket

板の上に乗る ita no ue ni noru – to step

take in, deceive onto a board (e.g. wooden board)

鐘の音が風に乗って 聞こえて きた

kane no oto ga kaze no notte kikoete kita

– The sound of a bell was carried on to me

on the wind

彼女の甘言に、 まんまと 乗せられ

た kanojo no kangen ni manma to

noserareta – I was completely taken in by

her honeyed words

落 ラク raku

お(ちる) o(chiru)

お(とす) o(tosu)

fall, clashed,

collapse, drop, lose,

set (moon or sun),

come off, fade,

fail (exam),

slow down, go down,

decline,

pass out (lose

consciousness), make

one’s opponent faint,

remove, capture

落ちる ochiru – to fall

落とす otosu – to drop, to lose

落雷 rakurai – lightning (strike on the

ground)

壁のペンキを 落とす kabe no penki o

otosu – to remove paint from the wall

城を落とす shiro o otosu – to capture a

castle

飛行機が 落ちた hikouki ga ochita –

The airplane crashed

地震で屋根が落ちた jishin de yane ga

ochita – The root collapsed by an

earthquake

彼女の成績が 落ちた kanojo no

seiseki ga ochita – Her marks went down

財布を 落とした saifu o otoshita – I

lost my wallet

彼らは 最も 重要な 試合を落とし

た karera wa mottomo juuyou na shiai o

otoshita – They lost the most important

game

遅 チ chi

おく(れる) oku(reru)

be late, be delayed,

be slow (clock)

遅延 chien – a delay

遅れる okureru – to be late for, to lag

behind

時計が ３分 遅れて いる – The

clock is three minutes slow

折 セツ setsu

お(れる) o(reru)

お(る) o(ru)

おり ori

break,

fold, folded, bend,

turn,

give in, yield to

折る oru – to break

折れる oreru – to break

骨折 kossetsu – fracture

枝を 折る eda o oru – to break a branch

紙を折る kami o oru – to fold a sheet of

paper

ひざを折る hiza o oru – to bend the knee

何本かの 柱が 地震で折れた nan

bon ka no hashira ga jishin de oreta –

Some pillars were broken by an

earthquake.

その角を 右に折れると 図書館が

ある sono kado o migi ni oreru to

toshokan ga aru – If you turn right at that

corner, you will find a post office.

探 タン tan

さが(す) saga(su)

さ(ぐる) sa(guru)

search, look for,

investigate

探す sagasu – to look for

探る saguru – to feel for

事故の原因探る jiko no genin o saguru –

to investigate the cause of an accident

閉 ヘイ hei

し(める) shi(meru)

と(じる) to(jiru)

shut, close 閉める shimeru – to close

閉門 heimon suru – to close a gate (where

subject is building etc. not a person)

店を 閉める mise o shimeru – to close

a shop

窓を 閉める mado o shimeru – to close

a window

本を 閉じる hon o tojiru – to close a

book

目を 閉じる me o tojiru – to close

one’s eyes

この大学は、夜９時には 閉門 しま

す kono daigaku wa, yoru 9 ji ni wa

heimon shimasu – This college’s gate is

closed at 9 o’clock every night

信 シン shin

しん(じる) shin(jiru)

believe, trust 信じる shinjiru – to believe

何か 信仰は あります か nani ka

shinkou wa arimasu – Do you have any

faith?

私は あなたの 言う ことを 信じ

る watashi wa anata no iu koto o shinjiru

– I believe what you say

進 シン shin

すす(む) susu(mu)

advance, progress,

go on (to college),

travel (sound/light),

進む susumu – to advance, progress

進化 shinka – evolution

光は 秒速 ２９９７９２４５８*

メートルで まっすぐ 進む hikari wa

byousoku 299792458 me-toru de massugu

gain,

be ready to, be

willing to

susumu – Light travels in straight lines at

299792458 metres per second

彼の仕事は 順調に 進んでいる kare

no shigoto wa junchou ni susunde iru –

His work has been progressed

successfully

時計が 三分 進んでいる tokei ga san

pun susunde iru – The clock is three

minutes fast

彼は 進んで その 役割を 買って

出た kare wa susunde sono yakuwari o

katte deta – He volunteered to play the

role

* 二億 九千九百七十九万 二千四

百五十八 ni oku, kyuu sen kyuu hyaku

nana juu kyuu man, ni sen yon hyaku go

juu hachi

http://dglenfield.co.uk -> Japanese Basics

数 スウ suu

かぞ(える) kazo(eru)

かず kazu

count,

number, figure

数学 suugaku - mathematics

数える kazoeru – to count

助 ジョ jo

たす(ける) tasu(keru)

save, rescue, help 救助する kyuujo suru – to save, rescue

助けて ください tasukete kudasai –

please help

戦 セン sen

たたか(う) tatakau

war, make war, fight,

do battle,

戦争 sensou – war

戦争を する sensou o suru – make war

contend 戦え！tatakae! – fight!

生々堂々と 戦おう seisei doudou to

tatakaou – Let’s play fair

立 リツ ritsu

リュウ ryuu

た(てる) ta(teru)

た(つ) ta(tsu)

stand up, put up,

raise, set up,

establish,

make (sound),

make (plan),

respect,

stand, be (exist),

take action, rise up,

be reasonable,

leave for, start from

立つ tatsu – to stand

銅像を立てる douzou o tateru – put up a

bronze statue

音を立てる oto o tateru – make a noise

埃を立てる hokori o tateru – rise a cloud

of dust

計画を立てる keikaku o tateru – make a

plan

目標を立てる mokuhyou o tateru – set

up a goal

新記録を立てる shinkiroku o tateru –

establish a new record

彼はいつも友達を 立てていた kare

wa itsumo tomodachi o tateteita – He

always paid respect to his friends

彼女は 明日ロンドンを立って、東京

へ向かう kanojo wa asu rondon o tatte,

toukyou e mukau – She is leaving London

for Tokyo tomorrow.

彼女は議会に 立候補する だろう

kanojo wa gikai ni rikkouho suru darou –

She will stand for Parliament

奈良の大仏は 七百五十二年に 建立

された nara no daibutsu wa nan hyaku go

juu ni nen ni konryuu sareta – The Great

Buddha at Nara was erected in 752.

訪 ホウ hou

たず(ねる) tazu(neru)

おとず(れる)

otozu(reru)

visit

(time) come

訪ねる tazuneru – to call on

訪れる otozureru – to visit (a place)

訪問 houmon – to pay a visit

訪米 houbei – to visit the USA

ついに 夏が 訪れた– tsui ni natsu ga

otozureta - Summer has come at last

頼 ライ rai

たの(む) tano(mu)

たの(もしい)

tano(moshii)

たよ(る) tayo(ru)

request, ask,

reliance, depend

頼む tanomu – request

頼る tayoru – to depend on

依頼 irai – a request

依頼 する irai suru – to request

彼は 頼もしい 人だ – He is a reliable

person

私 から 彼に 頼んで 見ましょう

watashi kara kare ni tanonde mimashou –

I’ll try to ask him

飛 ヒ hi

と(ぶ) to(bu)

と(ばす) to(basu)

fly 飛ぶ tobu – to fly

飛ばす tobasu – to send, to fly

飛行機 hikouki – an airplane

飛行船 hikousen – an airship

届

とど(ける) todo(keru)

とど(く) todo(ku)

deliver, send,

arrive, reach,

report, notify

届ける todokeru – to deliver (from a

person) e.g. a mail sent from a person

届く todoku – reach, be received, deliver

(object) e.g. a mail which was sent

届いた 書類 todoita shorui – a sent

document

彼女は 住所の 変更を 市役所に

届けた kanojo wa juusho no henkou o

shiyakusho ni todoketa – He notified the

city office of her change of address

泊 ハク haku

パク paku

と(まる) to(maru)

と(める) to(meru)

lodge, stay if you’re staying

overnight you can have a

drink (looks like a tall

cup)

泊まる tomaru – to stay overnight

泊める tomeru – to take in, to

accommodate

三泊する san haku suru – to stay for three

nights

疲 ヒ hi

つか(れ) tsuka(re)

つか(れる) tsuka(reru)

fatigue, exhaustion,

be tired

疲れる tsukareru – to tire

疲労 hirou – fatigue, exhaustion

疲れ tsukare – fatigue, exhaustion

勤 キン kin

つと(める) tsuto(meru)

つと(まる) tsuto(maru)

work (working “for”

something e.g. a

company)

do not confuse with the

verb for just “working”

働 hatara(ku)

通勤手当 tsuukin teate – a

communication allowance

勤める tsutomeru – to work for, to hold a

post

勤まる tsutomaru – to be equal, to be fit

彼は 病院に 勤めている kare wa

byouin ni tsutomte iru – He is working for

a hospital

続 ゾク zoku

つづ(く) tsudu(ku)

つづ(ける) tsudu(keru)

continue, last

occurrence,

lead to follow

続ける tsudukeru - to continue, to go on

相続 souzoku – to inherit

その慣習は 二百年間 続いたいる

sono kanshuu wa nihyaku nen kan

tsuduita iru – The custom continued for

two hundred years

このところ 飛行機 事故が 続く

konotokoro hikouki jiko ga tsuduku –

There have been a series of airplane

accidents recently

この道は オックスフォードに 続い

て いる kono michi wa okkusufo-do ni

tsuduite iru – This road leads to Oxford

出撃 する ぞ！（皆、私の後に）続

け！ shutsugeki suru zo! (mina watashi

no ato ni) tsuduke! – Let’s take the

offensive! All after me!

酔っ

払

よっぱら(う) yoppara(u)

get (be) drunk 酔っ払う yopparau – to be drunk

喜 キ ki

よろこ(ぶ) yoroko(bu)

happy, delighted 喜ぶ yorokobu – to be happy, delighted

寄 キ ki

よ(る) yo(ru)

よ(せる) yo(seru)

come near to, let

come near,

gather, call on, call

at,

be attracted to, fall in

love,

put one’s trust in,

send

寄る yoru – to stop by, drop in

寄せる yoseru – to bring close together

寄付 kifu – a contribution, a donation

彼女は そばへ 寄ってきた kanojo

wa soba e yotte kita – She came up to me

わきへ寄ってください waki e yotte

kudasai – Please step aside

三人寄れば文殊の知恵 san nin yoreba

monju no chie – Two heads are better than

one (Proverb)

笑 ショウ shou

わら(う) wara(u)

え(む) e(mu)

laugh, smile 笑う warau – to laugh

明日の ことを 言えば 天井で ね

ずみが 笑う asu no koto o ieba tenjou

de nezumi ga warau – If you talk about

tomorrow the mouse in the ceiling laughs

(proverb)

忘 ボウ bou

わす(れる) wasu(reru)

forget 忘れる wasureru – to forget

忘れ物 wasuremono – a thing left behind

忘年会 bounenkai – a year-end party

すっかり 忘れました sukkari

wasuremashita – I completely forgot

渡 ト to

わた(す) wata(su)

わた(る) wata(ru)

hand over, transfer,

move (across the

sea), ferry, cross, be

imported (be

introduced),

pass

渡す watasu – hand over

渡る wataru – to cross, to get across

渡英する toei suru – to visit the United

Kngdom

渡米する tobei suru – to visit the United

States

渡り鳥 wataridori – a migratory bird

彼女は 会長の 座を息子に 渡した

kanojo wa kaichou no za o musuko ni

watashita – She transferred her son to the

post of president

彼は 小船で 観光客を 向こう岸へ

渡した kare wa kobune de kankoukyaku

o mukou gishi e watashita – He ferried

tourists across the river

その文化は 中国から 日本へ 渡っ

て きた sono bunka wa chuugoku kara

nihon e watatte kita – The culture was

introduced into Japan from China

晩 バン ban evening, night 今晩は konbanwa – good evening

今晩 konban – this evening

晩ご飯 ban gohan – dinner

週 シュウ shuu week 週末 shuumatsu – weekend

先々週 sensenshuu – two weeks ago

先週 senshuu - last week

今週 konshuu – this week

来週 raishuu – next week

来来週 rairaishuu – two weeks’ time

油 ユ yu

あぶら abura

oil 油田 yuden – oil field

石油 sekiyu – petroleum

油と 水を混ぜる 事は出来ない

abura to mizu o mazeru koto wa dekinai –

You cannot mix oil and water

宅 タク taku home お宅 otaku – your home

お宅 otaku – a ‘geek’

帰宅 する kitaku suru – to go home

客 キャク kyaku guest, customer 客 kyaku – customer

乗客 jyou kyaku - passenger

雪 ゆき yuki snow 雪 yuki – snow

雪国 yuki guni – a snowy country

度 ド do degree, frequency 一度 ichido – once

もう一度 おねがいします mou ichi do

onegaishimasu – once more please

(“please repeat”)

今度 kondo – next time

速 ソク soku

はや(い) haya(i)

fast, speedy 速度 sokudo – speed

速達 soku tatsu – express delivery

道 ドウ dou

みち michi

street 北海道 hokkaidou – Hokkaido (northern

Japanese island)

長い道 nagai michi – a long road

赤道 seki dou – equator

車道 shadou - roadway

晴 セイ sei

は(れ) ha(re)

は(れる）ha(reru)

fine, clear up 素晴らしい subarashii - wonderful

晴れる hareru – to clear up

晴天 seiten – fine weather

寺 ジ ji

てら tera

temple 寺 tera – temple

夫 フ fu

おっと otto

husband 夫 otto – one’s husband

夫婦 fuufu – a married couple

彼 かれ kare

かの kano

he 彼 kare – he

彼女 kanojo – she

彼ら karera - they

若 わか(い) waka(i) young 若さ wakasa – youthfulness

若者 wakamono – a young man

働 ドウ dou

はたら(く) hatara(ku)

work (just “working”,

not “working for ...”) don’t confuse with 動く(ugoku – move) – notice

the i on the left meaning

person – and this is

different to 勤 (work

“for” a hospital etc.)

働く hataraku – to work

労働 roudou – labour

彼は 働いている kare wa hataraite iru

– He is working

部 ブ bu department, section,

club

部分 bubun – a part, section

全部 zenbu - all

駅 エキ eki station 駅長 eki chou – stationmaster

駅員 ekiin – station employee

社 シャ sha

ジャ ja

shrine, company,

assembling

会社 kaisha – a company

社会 shakai – a society

社長 shachou – company president

鉄 テツ tetsu iron 鉄槌 tettsui – iron fist (karate move)

地下鉄 chikatetsu - subway

所 ショ sho

ジョ jyo

ところ tokoro

place, that which 所 tokoro – place

台所 daidokoro – kitchen

事務所 jimusho – an office

番 バン ban number, order 一番 ichiban – number one

電話番号 denwabangou – telephone

number

交番 kouban – police box

市 シ shi

いち ichi

city, market 市 shi – city

市場 ichiba / 市場 shi jou – a market

市長 shi chou – a mayor

市民 shimin - citizen

都 ト to capital, big city 都会 tokai – urban area

都市 toshi – big city

東京 tokyou - Tokyo

府 フ fu administrative,

prefecture

大阪府 oosaka fu – Osaka prefecture

政府 seifu - government

県 ケン ken (also) prefecture 県 ken – a prefecture

島 トウ tou

しま shima

island 島 shima – island

島国 shima guni – an island nation

留 リュウ ryu

と(まる) to(maru)

と(める) to(meru)

stay, detain 書留 kaki tome – a registered letter

留学 ryuugaku – to study abroad

宿 シュク shuku lodging, dwelling 宿題 shukudai – homework

宿泊する shukuhaku suru – to stay

宿舎 shuku sha – a dormitory

政 セイ sei administration 政治 seiji – politics

行政 gyousei – administration

政府 seifu – a government

治 ジ ji

おさ(まる) osa(maru)

おさ(める) osa(meru)

なおる nao(ru)

なおす nao(su)

govern 治す naosu – to cure, fix

政治家 seijika – a politician

経 ケイ kei control, pass through 経済 keizai – economy

経営する keiei suru – to manage

経由 keiyu – via, by way of

歴 レキ reki career 歴史 rekishi – history

学歴 gakureki – one’s educational

background

貨 カ ka goods, money 硬貨 kouka – coin

雑貨 zakka – sundries, misc. goods

この 千円札を百円 硬貨 十個に

替えてください kono sen en satsu o

hyaku en kouka jyukko ni kaete kudasai –

Please change (break) this 1000 yen bill

into ten 100 yen coins

五分ばかり この道を行けば、右手に

その百貨店が あります gofun bakari

kono michi o ikeba, migite ni sono

hyakkaten ga arimasu – If you go down

the street for about five minutes, and you

will see the Department store to the right

Writing Kanji:

The order and direction of strokes is as follows.

Left to right

Top to bottom

Always write downward

Reading Japanese:

When reading Japanese it is either left to right (if in a horizontal line) or vertical top to bottom, right to left.

Hello World

W H

o e

r l

l l

d o

ダニエル グレンフィールド Daniel Glenfield http://www.dglenfield.co.uk

荻野将司 Masashi Ogino http://massyoggy.spaces.live.com/